Becoming a Guardian
by sapphire316
Summary: The transition from loner to Guardian wasn't easy for me. There was a lot I had to deal with, learn, and adapt to. The collection of stories here is about fitting in with the other Guardians. It's about me, Jack Frost, just trying to keep up with my whirlwind of a new life. I certainly hope you're ready, because there's a lot to tell. [One-shots from Jack's POV, rated T to be safe]
1. Prologue

**Hey, guys! Sapphire316 here, back again with a new story! Well, series of stories. Same thing.**

 **Man, it's been a while, huh? Lately, I've been spending most of my time on a nice little app called Amino...if you want to see some drawings and extra bits of writing, go find me on there! You can see on my profile which Aminos I'm a part of, and I'm under the same username for all of them.**

 **That aside...I'd like to introduce Becoming a Guardian! I posted the prologue on Amino last week, but this week, I decided that I'd start posting it here too! I'm gonna try to update every Saturday, but you know, life happens sometimes. So without further ado...let's get started. Jack, take it away!**

* * *

 _ **~ Prologue ~**_

Being a Guardian isn't easy. Granted, I never expected it to be, but I guess I might've...underestimated things a bit.

Don't get me wrong, it's not the job itself. That part's easy; making kids happy is what I do. I'm good at it, and I like doing it. So no, it's not the actual position that's difficult...it's everything that comes with it.

I've spent 300 years of my life completely and utterly alone, sans the Wind, of course. The only other company I've ever had...hasn't exactly been pleasant. The only marginally positive interaction I've had with other spirits was the two or three times I've seen Sandy. He was always friendly towards me. Friendly towards almost anyone, really. But he's a busy guy, obviously, so I really only got to know him after I joined up with the Guardians.

Aside from him and the Wind, it seemed like every other spirit in existence absolutely hated me. There were a few that kind of tolerated me, sure, but they were only the exceptions.

No one really...likes winter, you see. In the spirit world, the season is severely looked down upon, and any winter spirit is immediately viewed as a cold, heartless demon, myself included. Truthfully, the stereotype's not exactly wrong in a lot of circumstances, but I like to think that I'm...you know, probably an exception.

It's hard to say. Winter spirits are known for being more vulnerable to "turning to the dark side" or whatever, and well...I've been through a lot.

So yeah, right off the bat, boom; every spring, summer, and autumn oriented spirit wants me dead. And the rest of the winter spirits do too, but out of jealousy. Not only about the Guardian thing, but because I'm not just a winter spirit, I'm THE Spirit of Winter. Kind of means I'm in charge, even though literally no one listens to me. Oh well.

Overall, no one likes Jack Frost. I don't think I really did anything to deserve that...sure I pull some pranks from time to time, but it's all in the name of fun, you know? Not enough to warrant the death threats and, uh...many attempts made on my life. Let's...just say there's not many types of pain I haven't felt, and leave it at that.

But I digress...the point is, I've never actually had a good life before. I've wanted a friend...a family, even, for so long, and now that I've finally got it...I have no idea what to do. Pathetic, I know, but it's true. I, Jack Frost, the boy who wanted nothing more than a little company, has no idea how to cope with actually having company.

Cruel irony, huh?

But regardless...I'm working on it. Ever so slowly, I'm adjusting to life as a Guardian, life as something more than an icy shadow, staring at the Moon every night and hoping to hear just someone, anyone say his name. It's been a bumpy ride so far, but...I think that maybe, just maybe, I can make it.

The assortment of stories I'm about to tell you is about said bumpy ride. They're not in any particular order...I'll just tell them as I think of them. There are ups, there are downs, there are smiles, there are frowns, there's Jack rhyming in his list while trying to be poetic, but ending up just sounding like a moron...but most importantly, there's the Guardians, there's the believers, and there's me. Jackson Overland Frost, at the center of it all, just trying to figure out what he should do. Buckle up, because you're in for a wild time.

What, can't find the seatbelts? Heh...that was just expression.

* * *

 **I'll be posting the first real chapter directly after this one, so...see you then!**

 **Sapphire316, out.**


	2. Care

**Hey, guys! I'm here with the first official chapter of Becoming a Guardian!**

 **I don't have anything more to say between the last update and this one, given that they were back to back, so we'll just get on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Care ~**_

Just a few days ago, if you'd told me that I'd soon be sitting in Santa Claus' sleigh, on my way to the North Pole, having just helped defeat the Boogeyman and been made into a Guardian of Childhood...well, I probably would've wondered how the hell you could see me first, but then I'd laugh in your face at the thought. Or scoff. Yeah, come to think of it, I'd probably be a bit more sarcastic about it.

And yet...here I am.

I'm sitting in Santa's sleigh.

I'm on my way to the North Pole.

I helped defeat the Boogeyman.

I'm a Guardian.

...this has certainly been an eventful few days.

Even now as I sit on the back of the sleigh, Baby Tooth perched on my shoulder, I'm not quite sure what to think. A part of me is happier than I've ever been in my life. The other part doesn't even believe this is real.

I mean...how could it be possible? Just a few days ago, I was literally nothing. LITERALLY. I was a ghost, a shadow...like I didn't even exist.

Now, I've got the company of four spirits who actually don't want to kill me, and even a handful of believers to boot. Honestly, it's...it's almost too good to be true.

I shake my head in pure disbelief, then take a deep breath...and immediately wince because of it. Damn. The adrenaline from the fight with Pitch must be wearing off. It feels like I've got a couple of broken ribs from both of the falls Pitch caused me. Oh, well...nothing I haven't handled before.

"Jack, are you okay...?"

I regret to say that I jumped a little more than I should have at Tooth's concerned voice, causing another stab of pain in my ribs. Luckily, though, I'm able to shake it off enough to answer her.

"Ah, yeah," I say. "Why do you ask?"

She frowns slightly. "You looked like you were wincing...are you hurt?"

In response, I just give a slight shrug. "I'm fine," I tell her. "Just a little bit battered. Bruises, scratches, broken rib or two from when I fell...that kind of thing."

...yeah, apparently that was NOT the right thing to say.

Now, all the other Guardians (sans North, who's focused on driving) are staring at me in shock. A golden exclamation point even appears above Sandy's head to accentuate his surprise.

"Ya mean ta tell me..." Bunny says slowly. "...that ya fell outta the air, broke a couple ribs...and then kept on fightin'!?"

I blink. "Um...yes?"

"Jack, that's dangerous!" Tooth exclaims. "You could have gotten even more seriously hurt!"

"Well I mean, that is kind of what happens in a battle," I point out. "I could've gotten seriously hurt at any time."

"That's not the point, Jack..." Tooth tells me. "You shouldn't have been reckless..."

I raise my eyebrow skeptically. "Reckless? A couple of broken ribs is basically a paper cut by my standards. I was totally fine and still am. I've had worse."

Sandy looks at me curiously, as though asking how much worse I mean. I consider simply not answering, but...knowing them, they'll end up dragging the answer out of me sooner or later. Besides, it's not that big of a deal.

"Just a bunch of different types of injuries," I say with a shrug. "I've been stabbed, slashed, strangled, bludgeoned, burned...you name it. Like I said, this is nothing."

...apparently that was ALSO not the right thing to say. Now even more horror is present on all of their faces, along with something new...guilt.

Damn it.

Now, I could quickly cut in and tell them that it wasn't their fault, but...something stops me. Technically, they did have a hand in it by ignoring me all those years...Bunny especially was involved, as I've received numerous punches and kicks from him whenever I've done something stupid on his holiday. Which...was often. So instead of making any kind reassurances...I say nothing.

"Oh, Jack..." Tooth murmurs. "We had no idea..."

All I can really do is sigh and say, "I know."

There's a long silence.

However, soon, the silence is broken by North, whom I hadn't even realized was listening. "Well, then!" he calls over his shoulder. "We will have to make up for it by helping you now! Once we get back to Pole, we will take you to infirmary and get you treated!"

I...didn't know the North Pole even had an infirmary. Guess there's a lot more to that place than I've seen so far...

Oh, right, guess I should say something. "That's...really not necessary..." I protest. "I'll be fine on my own." I don't really want them worrying about me...it just feels too weird to have someone care.

North, however, only laughs. "Nonsense! We will get you back in top tip shape in no time, you will see!"

...yeah, no, I'm not getting out of this any time soon. Though I suppose I could take this opportunity to ask my most pressing question at the moment.

"Why do you care...?"

This silences them yet again. However, Tooth recovers much faster this time. She smiles slightly and says to me, "Because you're worth caring about."

Never heard that one before.

Though I'm honestly not sure if she's lying to me or not, I give a hesitant smile in return. I decide not to say anything more. It looks as though they don't mind.

We continue on through the peaceful sky in a general quiet, though it's less awkward and more comfortable than before. Even Bunny isn't freaking out about our altitude, but that's probably because he's too tired from the battle to panic.

Maybe I should let myself relax a little bit too...usually, doing something that would let my guard down like that would only spell a load of pain for me, but the Guardians legitimately seem to care now. It could just be that they feel bad for never interacting with me before they were forced to, but...I don't know. It seems like it could possibly be something more.

"What do you think?" I whisper to Baby Tooth, so quiet that the others don't hear. "Are they being genuine about all this?"

The little fairy merely smiles and pats my shoulder as though comforting me. This time, I don't have to force the smile that forms on my lips. After all, she could be right. Maybe the four of them really are starting to care.

And maybe, just maybe...letting myself be cared for won't be so bad.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed, and i'll see you back here next week for Chapter 2!**

 **Sapphire316, out.**


	3. Home

**Hey, guys! Sapphire316 here, back with the next chapter of Becoming a Guardian!**

 **Thanks so much to AllShallFade777, MOMOtheDOMO, RoronoaLily, and La-luna lady of the ghost zone for reviewing!**

 **That being said, let's get right to the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Home ~**_

I'm not sure whether or not I should be concerned about the weird amount of attention North has seemed to be giving me lately. Every time I've set foot in the Pole for the past couple of days, he's bombarded me with really random questions, like what my favorite color is, or my ideal temperature, or whether or not I can sleep with the sun shining in my face.

...have I just been deprived of social interaction for too long, or is that not at all normal? I think I'm gonna go with the latter.

Previously, I had gotten into the habit of visiting the Pole relatively frequently, mostly because I like to explore the place. The North Pole is HUGE—even bigger than I had initially thought. You never know what you might find if you take a walk around inside...or who you might find.

On one of my little adventures, for instance, I happened to run into North, and we got to talking. I'm not exactly sure what led to it, but he eventually asked me where I lived, saying that he was curious as to why, in all his years of traveling the whole world each Christmas, he had never come across my home. He then asked if I lived in Antarctica, where he certainly wouldn't have gone to deliver anything.

I simply shook my head and said that no, my home was in Pennsylvania, near the town where Jamie and Sophie live. When he asked specifically where, I told him how I technically didn't live anywhere, but that the place I came back to most was the lake where I first became Jack Frost. And more recently, I guess, the place where I became a Guardian.

I'm not sure why, but North got a strange look on his face once I said that. First he seemed confused, then...saddened, for some reason. After I asked what was wrong, he simply smiled at me, patted my shoulder, and said it was nothing. Then, he told me he had some business to attend to, so he left. And that was that.

...needless to say, I was really confused by the whole thing.

I guess you could say that that conversation was the catalyst that started up the following slew of weird questions, but I really can't decipher what it all means. I puzzle over it for days...and yet I still don't understand. What exactly is North planning...? Is he even planning something at all? Am I just insane?

I mean maybe, but still...there's gotta be something I'm missing.

Finally, I get up the courage to just go and ask him what's going on. I head to the North Pole, ready to engage in a building-wide search for the man...only to find him standing there, waiting for me.

"Ah, Jack!" he calls upon seeing me fly in. "Is very good that you have come...I have something to show you!"

I blink in surprise. "You...do?" Is this related to the very thing I came here to ask about...?

"Yes! Come!" He beckons for me to follow him, then starts walking.

Welp, not like I have much of a choice. Thus, I go ahead and follow him. He takes me into a lift and we go up a couple of floors before it stops and lets us off. Now we're in an area of the Pole I've never seen before. There's no toy-building supplies, no ice prototypes, not even any yetis or elves running around. Instead, we're in a long hallway with a large amount of doors lining the walls. Interesting...

North takes me further down the hall and gestures to one of the doors. The door in question appears to have been carefully painted with intricate silvery designs not unlike the patterns of frost that curl across my hoodie. I raise my eyebrows and glance at North, who nods at me. Not sure what to expect, I open the door...

...and my eyes immediately widen in pure awe.

The room before me seems to have been crafted partially from wood, partially from ice, much like North's personal office. The walls closest to the door start off as the same brown wood as the rest of the workshop, then fade into snow and frost. Rather than be cluttered with tools and toys, however, this room is very open and spread out, with an extremely high ceiling to add even more space. The simple pieces of furniture in the room are all in various shades of blue, blending together for an overall wintery feel.

Like the walls, the floor starts as wood, then transitions into ice deeper into the room, almost like an indoor skating rink. The most breathtaking part of the room, however, is the fact that the entire back wall is one enormous double window, offering a beautiful view of the snowy landscape outside.

It's...honestly amazing. It's perfect...it's...it's...

"It's yours."

I jump a little bit in surprise at North's voice and quickly turn to face him. He has a knowing smile on his face as he nods and clarifies, "This room...is made just for you."

I can barely speak. "For...me...?" is all I can force out of my mouth.

"Of course!" North replies. "You said you had no home...so I give you home!" He smiles warmly. "You do not have to stay here all of time...but if you want roof over your head to come home to, then it is here."

...I think I might cry.

This...this is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me. So that's what all those questions were about...North didn't have to go out of his way to do all this. He could have just given me a random guest room, or, an even easier option, nothing at all.

And yet...he went all out. He took the time to tailor a room to perfectly fit my standards, and he's only known me for a couple of months.

I...don't even have the words to express how much this means to me...

All I can do is look at him and shakily say, "Th-Thank you, North...thank you so much...it...it means a lot..." I don't hug him, but I think the sentiment gets across anyway.

He smiles at me and puts a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. "You are very welcome, Jack."

And if he sees the tears welling up in my eyes...well, that one can just be between us.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed! I'll see you next week for the next chapter!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	4. Accidental Magic

**Hey, guys! I'm here with the next chapter of Becoming a Guardian! I don't have anything special to say, so let's get right to the reviews, then get started!**

 **Thanks so much to La-luna lady of the ghost zone, MOMOtheDOMO, and Punishers Apprentice (I'm not quite sure what you mean...I definitely did upload Chapter 2 last week, right on schedule) for reviewing!**

 **That said, let's continue on to the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Accidental Magic ~**_

Okay, so today I may have gotten myself into a lot of trouble.

Of course, I'm almost always in some sort of trouble...but said trouble doesn't usually give me fur, paws, a tail, and a strong urge to curl up in the sun and take a long nap.

Yep. I'm a cat.

Let me backpedal for a moment here...so before I became a white, fluffy feline, my day was going pretty much normally. I had just finished up spreading the proper amount of snow for the day, and so I decided to go and explore around the North Pole for a little while. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

What WAS out of the ordinary, however, was me stumbling across this dim, dusty corridor containing nothing but a single door at the very end of it. Naturally, being the curious little Jack that I am, I had to go check it out. As it turns out, the little hidden room was full of potions, parchment containing spells, and other magical equipment.

Apparently, though he never had the decency to tell me, North used to train under some sort of WIZARD.

I mean, I guess I should've figured that he knew some serious magic, given the fact that the man owns flying reindeer and snow globe portals...but still! I had no idea that he had such a...a magical goldmine hidden away!

Me being me, I decided to look around a little. I don't know, maybe I thought I'd find something cool or interesting, or something that could instantly turn rabbit fur pink...not for any particular reason, of course, heh heh.

Unfortunately, I had barely started my exploration when I accidentally knocked over a potion and some spilled on me...and so, here I am. A cat, just sitting on the magic room floor, wondering what to do about my situation. I'm not about to start randomly drinking potions to try to find a cure...playing with the potions does sound fun, but I'd honestly rather not be alone while doing so in case something went wrong.

See? I'm not totally senseless.

I guess the most intelligent course of action would be to go find North and try to tell him what happened...but to be honest, the thought of doing that kind of terrifies me. For all I know, the magic room was strictly prohibited, and I just broke a severely important rule or something by coming in here. Normally I wouldn't care about breaking rules and all, but...I kind of just became a Guardian, and I'd like to stay one for a while.

Now the question is, what do I do...? I could try and find an elf, as they're not likely to tell North about this, but...I can't say that I trust them with serious matters. I can't go to a yeti either, but for the opposite reasons. Sandy would probably be the most trustworthy individual I could go to, but what are the chances that he'd be here right now?

Damn it...this is stupid.

I have to assume that the potion will wear off eventually, especially considering the fact that only a little bit got on me. This in mind, I pad over to the bottle on the ground (somehow, it didn't smash), and examine it. Luckily for me, it seems that, even though it would take a day or two to wear off if I had ingested the potion, effects caused by contact with it would diminish within a few hours.

That means I just have to ride it out. So, this in mind, I simply curl up on the ground and proceed to wait.

...

...

...okay this isn't going to work.

Here's the problem: I'm a cat. Cats like to lay around, yes, but in locations they're comfortable with. I, having never been in this room before, am far from comfortable with my location. Thus...I'm now exceedingly tempted to run straight back to my room and stretch out in the sun.

Logically, I know that this is a terrible idea. The North Pole is literally crawling with elves and yetis, and North himself could potentially be anywhere. Given my pristine white fur (not to mention the fact that I'm still wearing my usual clothes, albeit smaller versions of them), I would definitely stick out if I was to just run out into the open. The best course of action would be to stay here until I'm back to normal.

...but I really want to find a nice place to sleep!

Damn it...against my better judgement, I get up and start heading towards the door. Unfortunately, I can't carry my staff, so I have to leave it behind, but I can easily come back for it later. The not-so-easy part is getting to my room without being seen.

I run down the dim corridor and turn into the next, more cheery hallway. Thankfully, no elves or yetis are present here, but knowing that that could change in an instant, I press on.

I'm really starting to hate my newly acquired feline instincts for making me go on this little adventure, because to get to my room from this section of the Pole, I have to cut through the main workshop. I do my best to keep to the edges of the area, bounding past yetis with their backs turned and ducking behind piles of toys to avoid elves. Soon, I gain a bit of confidence, as I'm doing so well that I'm sure I'll have no trouble reaching my room.

Then...I catch sight of something strange. Something that's not supposed to be here.

Weirdly enough, there's some sort of small, circular, red thing on the wall, and I'm almost instantly drawn to it. I've definitely never seen something like this in the Pole before, which means it shouldn't be here. So...should I get rid of it?

I pad up to the red thing and try to bat at it with my paw. Then...it moves! Letting out a startled meow, I jump back a little ways. My eyes narrow. I definitely need to get that thing out of here.

As the red thing jumps across the wall, I pounce at it, desperately trying to catch it. Then, I try scraping at the wall, but I can't even touch the thing! Even when I put my paw directly on it, nothing happens! What's going on!?

...wait a second. I hear laughter.

My ears twitch and I manage to drag my gaze away from the red thing just long enough to look behind me. To my horror, I see North and Bunny standing there, both of them snickering...and North's holding a laser pointer.

...God. Freaking. Damn it.

I'm never gonna live this one down...

Trying to maintain as much dignity as I can, I try to yell at them, but only manage an angry yowl, which only makes them laugh harder. My ears flatten against my head and I hiss, but still, they don't stop.

"Ahaha, you were right, Bunny!" North chuckles. "Laser pointer was great idea!"

Bunny smirks. "Told ya, mate," he says. Then, he reaches down and picks me up by the scruff of my neck, holding me up in a rather humiliating fashion. "So...managed ta get into North's potions, eh, Frostbite?"

I don't make a sound.

In response to my silence, North merely gives a laugh and tells me, "Do not try denying! Phil saw you go into magic room and leave as cat! He told me very clearly...and of course, I had to show Bunny!"

"Wouldn't miss this for the world, mate," Bunny comments with a smirk.

Ugh...I should've known. Phil's always been the only yeti who could outfox me. It's how he managed to keep catching me every time I tried to break into the North Pole, after all. I just wish Bunny of all people wasn't involved...definitely never hearing the end of this one.

I still don't make any sort of sound, merely looking down at the ground far below me. North, seeming to sense my nervousness, smiles and says, "Do not worry, you are not in trouble. I figured you would find magic room sooner or later! Just remember to be careful with potions from now on!"

Wait...so he's not mad at me? Thank God...I was about to go into Sad Jack mode for a second there. Well, now that I know I'm allowed in there, maybe I can go exploring some more sometime...

...but first, the issue at hand.

I try to tell North that I want to go to my room, but all that comes out is a small meow. Guess I should've expected as much, but...it's still annoying.

Weirdly enough, though, North gets a thoughtful look on his face after hearing me 'speak.' "Hm..." he muses. "I was never too good at speaking cat...but did you say something about room?"

...I have no idea what he's talking about, but I'm just gonna go with it. I bob my head quickly in confirmation, then wriggle a little in Bunny's grasp, trying to signal that I want to get down.

Thankfully, both of them seem to get the message, and I'm soon back on the ground. I look up at Bunny curiously, unsure as to why he let me go so easily. I would've thought more teasing would be involved...

Supposedly understanding my weird look, the Easter Kangaroo gives a slight chuckle. "Oh, don't worry, mate, I ain't gonna make fun of ya any more for right now..." He smirks and holds up a camera. "I got all the blackmail I need during yer little red dot hunt."

This time, the hiss that escapes my throat is entirely voluntary. Damn rabbit! I should've figured...

Whatever. I can just freeze his Warren over later...yeah, that's what I'll do. I yawn. Once I get back in the correct form, I'll give him as much frozen hell as I can to make up for this embarrassment.

But first, a nap.

Before North or Bunny can attempt to tease me again, I run off, heading directly to my room. Thankfully, I left the door open a little the last time I was here, so I can easily get inside.

Due to the colossal windows taking up the entirety of my back wall, sunlight streams into the entire room. Perfect for a sleepy cat.

Thus, I jump up onto my bed and curl up in the sunbeam hitting my pillow. Usually, warmth isn't exactly my thing, but it certainly feels good to me in cat form. The moment I lie down, I feel my eyelids droop. Pleased with the knowledge that I'll probably be a spirit again once I wake up, I drift off to sleep, for once comfortable and content with the action.

* * *

 **That's all for now! i hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you back here next week for the next chapter!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	5. Wounded, Part One

**Hey, guys! Welcome to the next chapter of Becoming a Guardian! Before we do anything else, time to take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to Jacqueline4602 (I'm not entirely sure if i will, but maybe!) and etarnax for reviewing!**

 **That said, let's get on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Wounded, Part One ~**_

I often resent the fact that the Moon brought me back as a winter spirit. Couldn't have been anything else, no...not Jack Fall, or Jack Flame, or Jack...Flowers, I don't know. I just HAD to be Jack Frost.

I just had to be the kind of spirit that no one likes.

Apparently, just being of winter means that I'm predisposed to the idea of becoming twisted and cruel. That's according to the spring, autumn, and summer spirits, of course. They can't acknowledge the snowballs and fun times, I guess...just the cold, bitter death.

The philosophy of most other spirits involves "putting winter in its place," so to speak. Winter is the season of nothing but death, and should not be treated with respect. Instead, it should be scorned, hated, and feared. As the Spirit of Winter, I'm the figurehead of the entire season, and so by default, I represent everything that all the others despise. Some avoid me at all costs. Others attack me in an attempt to assert dominance over me and my "lesser season."

Like they're doing right now.

I spit out a little blood and squint slightly, trying to see just ahead of me through foggy eyes. I had just gotten whacked over the head with a tree branch, so I wasn't exactly...oriented.

As I breathe heavily, my entire body screaming at me to just lie down and sleep forever, I manage to make out the three familiar figures standing before me. My eyes narrow.

The other Seasonals.

The girl in the middle, the supposed ringleader of the trio, is Cerelia Blossom, Spirit of Spring. She's got long, wavy, jet-black hair, green eyes, and a burning hatred for all things winter. Sure, the pink blouse and the flower in her hair might make her look peaceful and innocent, but Cerelia has absolutely no qualms with tossing me around with vines and throwing what she calls "blinding pollen" in my face.

To her left is the only male of the group, Silas Maple, Spirit of Autumn. He's got brown hair and eyes, and his clothes are designed to look like they're made from brown and red leaves. This one...isn't too much to worry about. He acts like he's the coolest, most handsome, and most powerful man around, but literally the only noteworthy thing I've ever seen him do is summon dead leaves. Still...he can make those leaves razor sharp and send them flying at me, but he's more so the setup for Cerelia and the other girl.

Speaking of the other girl...the one to Cerelia's right is the formidable Spirit of Summer, Eliana Burns. She's got a golden blonde pixie cut and yellow eyes, and wears a short, yellow sundress...probably to hide the fact that she's a powerhouse of fire. She can summon roaring flames with a flick of the wrist, which...is kind of a huge problem for me. In case you didn't know, fire is super effective against ice. Take notes, Pokémon trainers.

Anyway, now that you're well-acquainted with the people who regularly try to kill me...let's get back to them currently trying to kill me.

So far, aside from the bump on the head that Cerelia so kindly provided me with, I've also received quite a few cuts and bruises from her throwing me into trees, as well as a multitude of scratches from Silas' leaves and a couple of burns, courtesy of Eliana. It seems that, even though I'm a Guardian now, they still have no plans to show me any sort of respect, or even mercy. Not that I expected any such thing from them in the first place.

I cough and force a smirk as the other Seasonals approach me. "So..." I say, my voice a little raspier than I would have liked. "Cocky enough to attack a Guardian, huh? Not the smartest move..."

Cerelia merely scoffs and replies, "'Guardian' is just a title. You're still the same pathetic demon you've always been, Frost."

"Harsh..." I mutter. "Come on, guys, we go way back...can't we just laugh all this off?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Silas comments, crossing his arms. "What is it that you're calling yourself now? 'Guardian of Fun'?"

"Fun..." Eliana spits as though it's a curse. "Summer is what's fun, not winter!" She rolls her eyes. "If you ask me, 'Guardian of Death' would suit you far better."

Struggling to my feet, I roll my eyes right back. "Right, because death is the most important thing to protect in children." I shift my stance slightly to accommodate for the pain coursing through my burnt left leg, gripping my staff tightly. I'm not in the mood to sit here and take a beating, nor am I in any shape to play their little battle game. I'd best get the hell out of here before I'm reduced to cinders.

I need to somehow get to the Pole...it's cold enough there that these three won't follow me, so I'll be safe. I'm not about to tell any of the Guardians what happened—they'll just overreact and worry about me, which is exactly what I don't want. They're busy enough already without having to worry about a dumb winter spirit with a knack for getting injured. I'll just steal some bandages and stuff from the infirmary and hide out in my room until I'm healed. And if one of the Guardians stumbles across me...well, then I'll just have to break out my acting skills, I guess.

I use my staff to keep myself steady, preparing to jump into the air and let the Wind carry me away. However, before I can, Cerelia flicks her hand, causing a vine to shoot up from the ground and wrap itself around me, restraining me completely in the most uncomfortable way possible.

"And where do you think you're going?" she sneers. "We're not quite through with you yet, Frosty!"

I scowl in return. "Well..." I wheeze as the vine starts to cut off my air supply. "That's a shame, 'cause I'm quite through with you!" Quickly, I release a little magic and successfully flash-freeze the constrictive vine. It then shatters into ice shards, and I once again try to fly.

This time, it's Silas that stops me, sending a barrage of razor-sharp leaves in my direction, most of which make direct contact with me, easily tearing my hoodie and making several thin cuts across my face and hands. Normally, I'd classify his leaves as nothing more than a minor inconvenience, but when I'm already injured and desperate to escape, I'm kind of willing to pay them a little more mind.

I turn around to try to send a blast of ice in Silas' direction, but the moment I do, I'm met with a face-full of pollen that makes my eyes burn. It's not just any pollen, either; it's Cerelia's special blinding pollen. No idea how she makes the stuff work, but it's enough to make my world go dark for several hours at a time.

Just what I needed.

Cerelia has hit me with blinding pollen so many times that I've actually gotten pretty decent at navigating without my sight (big thanks go out to the Wind for essentially acting as my eyes during those times). As a result, logically, I should've been fine this time as well, and I should've been able to escape no problem.

Unfortunately for me, logic is pretty much never on my side. Instead of letting me get my bearings like a kindhearted assailant, the Spirit of Spring wastes no time in wrapping a new vine around my waist and slamming me face-first into a tree. Yep. That one's definitely a broken nose.

To make matters worse, the impact causes me to drop my staff and lose all sense of where I am, not to mention the splitting headache it gives me. I'm so completely disoriented and confused by the attack that my mind basically shuts down, and I'm forced to uselessly scrabble about in the grass, trying to locate my staff.

When my fingers finally close around the familiar wooden object, I cling to it as tightly as I can, desperate not to lose it again. But...damn it...I still can't see anything, and I still have no way of figuring out where I even am in relation to the other Seasonals. Lucky me. My sight's not only knocked out, but my other senses are trying to be as useless to me as they can right now, mostly because of my head injury and other wounds.

That's probably why I don't feel the heat from Eliana's fireball until it's too late.

* * *

 **Ah, first multi-part story in this collection! I think it'll just end up being two parts; it was just that my plan for it was a little too long for this story's one-shot standards. Either way, hope you enjoyed! I'll see you back here next week for the next part!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	6. Wounded, Part Two

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Before we get started, you know the drill; time to take care of reviews!**

 **Thank you so much, gilleanfryingpan, Jacqueline4602, AllShallFade777 (Jack Flowers indeed XD), DreamDancer (Aw, thank you so much! I've spent a long time fully developing my version of Jack, so that means a lot! :D) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on to the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Wounded, Part Two ~**_

When I awaken, all I know is pain.

My entire body hurts, each part for a different reason. My nose throbs and my head is pounding from the impact with the tree, my arms and legs sting with cuts, my back is likely extremely bruised from being thrown around, and my entire torso feels like it's on fire. Perhaps it still is. Who can say?

However, despite all this, I'm alive. These three always seem to leave me alive. Even back when I wasn't so sure that I wanted them to.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the other Seasonals are long gone by now. If they had stuck around, I would no doubt still be hearing their laughter and vicious taunts, and they might still be causing me even more pain. No...now, it's just me and the Wind.

It seems that I'm still tightly holding on to my staff. Through everything I've been through, it's always been the one thing I've never let go of. Good thing too...it would be disastrous if I were to somehow lose it.

Without my connection to the Wind, I wouldn't be able to fly...and without my conduit, my magic would spiral wildly out of control.

As I lie here on the ground, barely able to move, all I can really do is think. Not for the first time, I consider what would happen if I simply fought back with all I could. Then, as usual, I immediately banish the thought.

Theoretically, I could easily kick their asses. Winter magic is one of the most powerful forms of magic out there, and I could take down Cerelia and Silas in a heartbeat. Eliana would be significantly more trouble, but if I really let my powers go crazy, I bet I could fell her as well. Physically speaking, there's nothing stopping me from killing them all on the spot.

But...that would prove them right. They tell me I'm a demon. They tell me I bring nothing but death. If I start fighting them, who's to say that I won't eventually succumb to whatever darkness they swear resides within me? I'm not a fighter. That's why I can't fight back...I can't lose who I am.

Ugh...I need to stop trying to be deep when I'm barely clinging to life.

Scratch that, what I really need is some help, namely from the Wind. Cerelia's blinding pollen still hasn't worn off, so I can't check my own condition, nor can I navigate by myself. I need to get to Antarctica so I can be safe, then once I can see again, I need to see if I can start freezing over some of my wounds...

...but what I need the most is for the Guardians to not find out about this. They'd go into their weird overprotective mode, and I'd rather not have that happen. They've got important jobs to do. They don't need little insignificant me clogging up their time.

I can feel unconsciousness start to take me again, so as a bit of a precaution, I freeze my hands to my staff. This way, the Wind can carry me to Antarctica without having to worry about me passing out and dropping the thing that keeps us connected.

"A-Alright...W-Wind..." I manage to rasp. "Y-You...kn-know the...d...drill..."

Just as my body is lifted off the ground, I give in to the darkness once again.

()()()()

By the next time I awaken, my sight has returned. However, I'm almost convinced that I'm still unconscious, seeing as what my eyes perceive simply can't be right. Strangely enough, it almost seems like I'm in the North Pole's infirmary...

...

...

...damn it, Wind. Of course it had to take me to the one place I absolutely did NOT want to go. I know, I know, it's just looking out for me...but I would've preferred it if the Guardians had never found out about this. Now I need to explain some...complicated things, and they're probably all gonna freak out about it.

From what I've seen, they're not exactly "in the loop" when it comes to the rest of the spirit world. They pour all of their time into focusing on mortal children, after all, so they can be a bit clueless about immortal affairs. I'm relatively certain they have no idea just to what extent all the others hate winter spirits, and I'd be totally fine if it stayed that way. I don't need them worrying and trying to defend me or whatever. Regardless of good intentions, it'd probably just make things worse.

Then the question is...what do I tell them now? I'm far too beat-up to say it was an accident. Maybe I should just tell them I pulled a prank on the wrong spirit and got my ass kicked for it. It's worth a shot, I guess.

I'm just strong enough to lift my head and look down at myself, so I promptly do so once I pull myself from my thoughts. My lower half is concealed by the sheets of the hospital bed I'm in, but I think it's pretty safe to say that most of my body is wrapped in bandages. My hoodie is gone (hopefully it was taken to have the tears in it fixed and not be thrown away) and there's some sort of IV in my arm. No idea what exactly it's pumping into me, but it seems to be making me feel less pain than I should be feeling, so I won't complain.

It's impossible to fully assess my injuries at this point, so instead, I look around. I can see a few Medi-Yetis (yes, that's what the yetis that work in the infirmary are called, and yes, I couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes after I heard that) walking around, doing various medical things, but no sign of Nor—

"Ah, Jack! You are awake!"

...I stand corrected. I turn my head a little to watch North as he approaches me, silently going over my 'I was dumb and pranked someone so they beat me up' speech in my mind for when he inevitably asks what happened.

The man reaches me and pulls up a chair to sit by my bedside. His expression is an odd mix of both worry and relief. North gives me a slight smile and says gently, "So, how are you feeling, Jack?"

"L-Like I just g-got hit by a jumbo jet," I mumble, my voice oddly raspy. I assume it's from disuse, so I ask, "H-How long have I b-been out...?"

North sighs. "Three days," he says. "Others and I have been very worried about you...Medi-Yetis have had to kick us out many times just so we could do our jobs."

I frown and mutter instinctively, "Y-You don't need to w-worry...I-I'm fine..."

Now it's North's turn to frown. "Jack...you are not fine. You were severely inj—"

"I-I've had worse," I cut in darkly. "P-Please...d-don't worry about m-me..."

There's a long silence as North studies me. Finally, he quietly asks the question I know he's been dying to present since the Wind brought me here like this. "Who did this to you...?"

"D-Doesn't matter..." I tell him, probably not sounding as convincing as I hope I do. "J-Just a prank g-gone wrong...p-picked a bad t-target...th-they didn't find a g-gallon of snow being d-dumped on 'em as f-funny as I did..." I try for a slight smirk.

It's immediately obvious that North doesn't believe me.

Still, the older Guardian doesn't press me further. Instead, he heaves another sigh and stands up to leave. "I will be right back...I must call others and tell them that you are awake." He turns to go, then hesitates and looks over his shoulder at me. "Then, five of us will talk, yes?"

I don't respond. I've already lowered my head and pretended to slip back into unconsciousness. I doubt he's fooled by it, but nothing more is said. Even when I clearly hear the door to the infirmary close behind him with a thud, I still don't open my eyes. Better to simply feign sleep than to risk looking like I'm ready to talk about just how much I've really suffered.

* * *

 **Welp, looks like I was wrong, and this'll end up being three parts after all. Hope you guys enjoyed this part, and I'll see you back here next week for the next one!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	7. Wounded, Part Three

**Hey guys! I'm back with the next chapter of Becoming a Guardian! This'll be the last part of _Wounded_ , so next week, we'll have something different! First things first, though, time to take care of reviews!**

 **So much thanks go to gilleanfryingpan, Jacqueline4602, DreamDancer (Aw, thank you so much! That means a lot! :), Nukas (Don't worry, updates are weekly!), Guest, PuertoRicanBelle, and Guest for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the final part of this particular arc!**

* * *

 _ **~ Wounded, Part Three ~**_

The other Guardians have been gathered around me, staring at me, for about five minutes now, and I still have yet to say a word. Sure, they tried to start up the "Oh my God, Jack, who did this to you!?" conversation from the beginning, but I outright refused to answer. I'm hoping that if I stay quiet long enough, they'll take a hint and leave me alone.

Words cannot describe how wrong I am.

Five more minutes pass, and still, they wait for me. Bunny's already starting to look impatient, but even he seems like he's ultimately holding it together for some reason. Finally, I get fed up.

"Okay, what is this, an intervention?" I snap. My voice has regained a bit of its strength thanks to a medicinal potion one of the Medi-Yetis gave me earlier, but it's still not winning any awards in the intimidation department. "I don't wanna talk about this...please, just leave me alone."

"Jack..." Tooth says softly. "We're sorry, but we're not going to drop this...you were severely injured by someone...please tell us who it was..."

"None of your business," I mutter. "Look, I know you're worried, but you really don't need to be. I know how to deal with this kind of stuff myself."

North frowns. "That does not mean you have to..." he tells me. "Listen, we know you have been alone for long time...but you can trust us. We care about you! And we would like to help."

In response to this, I simply can't stop myself from darkly mumbling, "Didn't seem to want to help me before the Moon forced you to..."

This effectively silences him. In fact, none of them seem able to comment now. Maybe I should feel bad for being so harsh, but...I've got 300 years of pain under my belt, so...I don't have as much regret as I probably should.

True to form, Bunny is the first to find his voice, and the first thing he comes up with is a retort to my not-so-subtle jab at them. "Oi, ya've got some nerve, kid," he growls. "Look, I'm sorry that we left ya alone so long, but it's not like we knew that ya were sufferin' so much. Ya came off like ya LIKED bein' alone. 'Sides...we were always so absorbed in protectin' children."

"Yeah, well you missed one," I hiss, only barely giving Bunny a chance to finish his sentence. I usually don't like to consider myself a child...with how long I've lived and how much I've seen, I'm anything but innocent and naive. However, I have to concede that I can't exactly grow up...and either way, the instant guilt that forms on all four of their faces reassures me that it was the right thing to say. It's cold, I know, but if I'm ever going to properly fit in here...they need to know. They can care about me, they can give me a roof over my head, they can do whatever, but none of it will ever give them the right to ignore everything that I've been through.

My feelings in regard to this are conflicting...even I'm not completely sure where I stand. A part of me wants nothing more than to hide everything and keep pretending that I'm fine. It still feels too awkward and weird to have the other four worrying about me so much when they never did before...but the more rational part of me realizes that at least some things need to be discussed. I still won't say that the other three Seasonals were the ones that attacked me—I don't want the Guardians to try and start something by going after those three themselves—but I suppose I can tell them about the prejudice aimed at me because I'm a winter spirit...and maybe even about what it was like to be alone. Though the latter can be a discussion for another day...

And so I tell them how often I'm targeted by other spirits because of what I am. I make sure to omit the names of the spirits that attacked me this time, just passing them off as some "other nature spirits," but other than that, I explain everything to the Guardians. Needless to say, their horrified expressions are pretty much exactly what I was expecting.

"See? You don't need to worry about me..." I sigh in conclusion. "Me getting attacked like this...it's normal. It hurts, sure, but...I still always get out alive."

"Oh, Jack..." Tooth says softly, one hand held to her mouth in shock. "We...we had no idea...why didn't you tell us before...?"

I simply give a slight shrug and say, "You never asked before."

North frowns. "Jack...normal for you or not, is not good thing to be attacked so much. Is there nothing you can do to stop it? Or that we can do?"

"There's nothing," I say quickly. "Please, don't get involved. It'll just be the start of trouble...if I have to get beat up every now and then to avoid conflict, then I'll grin and bear it. I guess it's better that you know now, but...let me deal with it on my own."

After a few moments of silence, Sandy raises his hand for attention, then, when I look at him, he forms a few images over his head. I'm able to make out crossed swords, with a snowflake on one side and a flower, a sun, and a maple leaf on the other side, probably representing my conflict with spirits of the other three seasons. One of the swords swings toward the snowflake, but then the other clashes with it in defense. Finally, a question mark forms next to the original image. Ah...now I understand.

He's asking me why I don't fight back. They've all seen me fight against Pitch, after all. They know I'm powerful.

I'm silent for a little bit, mulling over my answer. Finally, I quietly tell them, "I could easily fight back. I could easily kill them. But...they already think I'm a murderous demon. I don't want to prove them right..."

Bunny arches an eyebrow. "So instead, what, ya just run away?"

"When I can," I reply. "I just...I'm not much of a fighter. I have the power to do it, but not much experience. I don't know, I...I just don't want my magic to lose control and end up really hurting someone..."

It's true. As the Spirit of Winter, I've got power to spare, but I usually don't try to tap into it for battle. It's why I was so surprised when an explosion of my magic absolutely devastated a wave of Nightmares that Pitch had sent at me during our first battle. I really had no idea that I could wield my powers like that...and it scared me. It only reinforced my determination to not use a large amount of magic in battle unless absolutely necessary. A blast of ice or two is fine, but...not much more.

Luckily for me, the other Guardians seem to sense my discomfort about the current subject, so they finally back off. After a few more minutes of reassuring me that I can come to them for anything, they at least allow me to get some rest. Good thing, too...the fatigue was starting to come back.

Before they go, Sandy comes to my side, a ball of dreamsand in his hand and a question mark over his head. I'm not really in the mood for nightmares, so I silently nod as I settle back down in the hospital bed. As he lets the golden sand sprinkle into my eyes, I steadily feel myself growing drowsier and drowsier. In almost no time at all, I fall asleep, admittedly feeling like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders now that I know that the others are willing to help me when I get hurt.

Reliance...it's weird and severely uncomfortable, but...maybe I can somehow get used to it.

* * *

 **And that concludes the _Wounded_ arc! Hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you back here next week for something new!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	8. Nightmare

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Hm, no reviews this time, oddly enough, so...let's just get right on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Nightmare ~**_

"Do you wanna play a game? We're gonna play hopscotch! Like we play every day. It's as easy as one..."

I'd had no idea what was to come of that simple, little game.

"...two..."

All I had wanted to do was ice skate with my little sister. I hadn't expected what came next.

"...three!"

I hadn't expected to die.

CRACK.

That horrible sound would be etched into my mind, repeating over and over again until my body finally stilled and I was able to forget. Then, centuries later, it would once again worm its way into my brain, tormenting me with its foul echo.

Only this time, there would be no forgetting.

()()()()

I casually skate across the surface of the lake I've called home for centuries. Sure, it's a little creepier now that I know that I died in this exact spot, but...regardless, I still feel drawn to the area somehow. Like I said, it's basically my home.

I've got no work to do, no Guardian meetings to attend, and it's nighttime here, so Jamie and the others are all asleep. I'm not entirely sure what prompted me to come back here, nor how long I've been here, but here I am, just aimlessly skating on my lake.

Skating's always been my way of unwinding, of relaxing when I've got nothing else to do, or when I really need some peace. It's...calming to me. I've been ice skating for so long that I now never fall, and effortlessly gliding across the ice does wonders for the anxiety. At least, until...

CRACK.

I freeze in place, eyes wide. No...that's...that's impossible! I always reinforce the ice before skating on it...besides, I'm Jack Frost! No ice can weaken while I'm standing on it!

However, upon shakily looking down, I can see a metaphorical spiderweb of cracks forming in the ice beneath my feet. My heart rate quickens tenfold, and my breathing soon follows. The fissures in the frozen surface continue to spread, and I can already hear the water sloshing about below me.

"N-No..." I whisper, my entire body starting to tremble. "Th-This...This c-can't be happening! N-Not again...NOT AGAIN!"

I frantically try to refreeze the shattered ice, but no matter what I do, my powers won't work...what the hell is going on!? I even try to just fly away, but for some reason, the Wind won't even pick me up...

Suddenly, it happens. The ice gives way, and before I know it...I'm underwater.

I scream as I fall, so my lungs instantly fill with water. Though I shouldn't be able to, I feel cold...not to mention completely terrified.

Through my blind panic, I try to swim, but inconveniently enough, I never actually learned how to. My sense of direction has completely been thrown off...I could be thrashing in the direction of the bottom of the lake, for all I know.

Is...Is this the end...? No matter how many times I'm brought back, am I forever destined to die alone in the dark, freezing cold and scared...?

It...seems so...

Just as my consciousness starts to slip away, I sense a sort of pressure closing in on me, and I feel myself being pulled down further into the depths. With the last of my strength, I try to fight against whatever has me in its grip, but it's too strong...I can do nothing but let it drag me into the darkness...

I can do nothing...but give up...and let myself die...

()()()()

The next thing I know, I'm waking up with a strangled cry of fear. I can still feel the odd pressure on my shoulders, so I blindly fight to shake it off. Thankfully, this time, I'm successful, but my legs still seem to be trapped under something...I need...I need to get out of here! I need to get away from the lake!

But...on closer inspection...I'm not at the lake...I'm in my room at the Pole?

I blink. Was it somehow all a dream...? But then...why is my face wet...? Wouldn't that mean...oh.

I quickly drag my sleeve across my face to mop up the embarrassing tear tracks, then glance around the room to make sure there was no one that witnessed...oh, damn it.

Right next to my bed hovers Sandy, staring at me in shock. He must've been the one to wake me up...him shaking me awake was probably the pressure I felt on my shoulders. From the looks of it, I startled him quite a bit when I shook him off me...

Either that, or he's simply shocked to see me cry.

I don't trust my voice to work without cracking, so I simply lower my head. I wish I could stop trembling...

When Sandy carefully puts his hand back on my shoulder, I'm spooked worse than I'd like to admit. After I recover from the shock, I can already feel the disgraceful sting behind my eyes as I slowly lift my head to look back up at him.

As usual, the little man doesn't say anything. But somehow, I get the feeling he wants to know if I get nightmares a lot.

At first, I'm tempted to lie and brush it off as a one-time occurrence. I want to tell him that this hasn't happened before, and that I'm sure it won't happen again. I want to tell him that I'm okay.

However, my voice betrays me.

"I-I'm f-fine..." I rasp, my voice shaking like a leaf. "Th-This...doesn't...happen much..."

We both know it's all a lie.

I didn't get too many nightmares in the past...when I did, they were all about being attacked, or worse, about my magic losing control and hurting others. But ever since I got my memories back, any and all sleep I've tried to get without using dreamsand has been plagued with water and isolation.

My greatest fear might've previously been that I would never be believed in. But now...I'm terrified of the past. Of drowning again, of being alone again...of everything in my godawful life happening again.

Damn it...how pathetic am I? I should be perfectly happy...but here I am, crying about things that are over. I really am nothing but a scared, weak little kid...

Sandy doesn't ask me what the nightmare was about. He doesn't tell me that I'll "feel better" if I talk about it. Instead, he merely sits down beside me on my bed and puts his arm around me.

At first, I stiffen. I'm still getting used to physical contact, and hugs often take me by surprise...but this time, I don't try to pull away. Ever so slowly, I lean into the Guardian of Dreams' touch.

Sandy has that effect on people. Maybe it's all the dreamsand, maybe it's the fact that when it all comes down to it, he's just genuinely a really nice guy. Whatever it is, everyone that's ever met the little guy can agree that his presence alone is enough to calm you and lull you into a sense of comfort. He's easily the least overbearing of the Guardians, and the one that always seems to know just what to do.

As if to demonstrate this, the oldest of the Guardians tugs on my sleeve to get my attention, then presses something soft into the palm of my hand. Upon looking down, I can see a little blue pouch with a white snowflake embroidered onto the front.

He motions for me to open it, so I comply. Almost immediately, my eyes widen. The pouch...it's full of dreamsand. I glance over at Sandy, and his only reply is a smile and a nod.

He's...giving me my own personal supply of dreamsand...do...do I even deserve this...? I've already been given so much just by being here...no one's ever been this generous to me before...

Once again, I feel the telltale sting behind my eyes, but this time, I don't stop the sob that escapes my throat. Embarrassing as it is, I practically cling to Sandy as I cry, my entire body still shaking.

To Sandy's credit, he doesn't seem surprised at all. He simply rubs my back gently, as if encouraging me to let it all out.

And goddamnit...after suffering within my own mind for so long...I need it.

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed! Be sure to leave a review and tell me what you thought! That being said, I'll see you next week for the next chapter!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	9. War

**Hi, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! First things first, time to take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks so much, Andipandi5, gilleanfryingpan (I'm glad you liked it so much! And don't think I didn't catch the Gravity Falls reference at the end there! ;), TheBla, sparklehannah X2, and RoronoaLily (Don't worry, your English is fine! And thank you very much!) for reviewing!**

 **With that done, time to get on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ War ~**_

I don't remember how it began.

 _"W-What the—!?"_

 _CRASH._

 _"AGGHHHHH!"_

Does anyone ever truly recall how exactly these things start? All I know is that one day, the North Pole was a busy yet friendly place where anyone could feel welcome.

 _"Oh no..."_

 _BANG._

 _"GAH!"_

The next day, it had turned into an environment of terror in which one had to be on their guard almost constantly to avoid harm.

 _"WHAT THE HELL!?"_

 _"EEEEEEEK!"_

 _"W-What did you do!?"_

No one is safe from it. Whether they want to participate or not, everyone falls victim to it at some point.

 _CLANG._

 _"F-Frostbite!?"_

 _"JACK!"_

 _"TAKE THAT!"_

No one can stop it. For it has already begun.

 _CRASH._

 _BANG._

 _SMACK._

What is it, exactly? Why...it's what we have dubbed the Great—

 _"H-How did you–!?"_

 _"I'LL GET YA FOR THIS!"_

—Guardian—

 _"OW!"_

 _"HA! GOT YOU!"_

...Prank War.

...

...

...

...really had you going for a second there, didn't I? Ah, don't give me that look...after all, it was just a prank.

So yes, a legitimately terrifying prank war between myself and each of the other Guardians has been going on for about a week now. We never actually had an official statement saying "Hey look, we're having a prank war"...it just kind of happened.

I suppose it really started with Bunny and me constantly antagonizing each other. We're not enemies anymore, but we're certainly rivals, and we've taken to messing with each other when given even the slightest opportunity.

It was harmless enough at first; just things like a snowball to the face or a run in with plastic wrap across a doorway. However, once we accidentally caught North in the crossfire of one of our (aka Bunny's) pranks, things started getting serious. I guess egg yolk is difficult to get out of such a long beard. Who knew, right?

North is good at pranks purely because he has a lot of resources. He and his yetis are able to assemble veritable Rube Goldberg machines of pain and humiliation in almost no time at all. Such apparatuses have been to blame for both Bunny losing half the fur on his chest and me still spitting out tinsel to this day. It's probably best that I just leave it at that.

Once North joined in, it didn't take Tooth and Sandy too long to follow. Sandy joined purely for his own enjoyment and Tooth, though she isn't exactly fond of pranks, simply didn't want to be the only one left out.

When it comes to pranks, Tooth, in a word, is...bad. I think it's just that she's not very good at coming up with them. 440 years (give or take) cooped up in her palace, spending most of her time giving orders to her fairies didn't really do much for her sense of mischief. Every now and then, she'll get one of us with something minor (and usually cliche, like a pie in the face), but usually, she's not much of a threat.

Sandy, on the other hand, is a GOD when it comes to practical jokes. At first, his methods seem rather simple, but that's only stage one. He creates multi-leveled pranks that can easily overwhelm a person and leave them wondering what the hell just happened. Once, he caused a bucket of syrup to fall on my head, then had the bottle of shampoo replaced with pink hair dye once I went to wash the stuff out of my hair, then had me fly into a nearly-invisible wall of glass as I was going to find him. That was a rough day.

Bunny's methods aren't so complicated, and his goals can be summed up in no more than three words: hurt the Jack. He's gotten the others a few times too, but mostly goes after me with his egg bombs and rope traps—one of which I'm actually currently caught in at the moment.

Yep, I'm just hanging here by my ankle in one of the Pole's many hallways, swaying slightly and feeling the blood rush to my head. I could easily just freeze and snap the rope, but my staff is below me, just tantalizingly out of my reach, and I'm not really too keen on falling face first onto the floor.

Also, the Wind is laughing at me hard enough already, so I'd prefer not to give it even more of a slapstick comedy act.

I'm not sure if Bunny either doesn't know I've gotten caught in his trap or is waiting until I've suffered enough to come and get me down. Or maybe he's gotten caught in one of my snowdrift traps along the way over to me. If that's the case, I hope someone took a picture.

I've been up here for about ten minutes, and while I'm starting to get a little dizzy, it's not the most uncomfortable situation I've ever been in. It's still annoying, but I can bear it for a little while longer.

Thankfully, after a few minutes, the Easter Kangaroo himself comes strolling down the hall towards me. Just as I'd hoped, his fur is still damp with snow, but unexpectedly, he hasn't come alone. North and Tooth have come with him, and...great, North's got a camera in his hands.

Not that I hadn't expected it. It's starting to become a Guardian tradition to take a picture of the aftermath of a prank...for humiliation and blackmailing purposes, of course.

Though Bunny's still shivering slightly from my cold trap, he still manages to look just as smug as ever as he smirks at my expense. "Oi, Frostbite," he says—I still don't remember how that nickname got its start—as he crosses his arms and looks up at me. "Havin' fun up there?"

I'm not about to give him any sort of satisfaction by complaining, so I simply shrug, which feels really weird upside down for some reason. "Ah, you know...just hanging around."

Badum tss. I'm hilarious, shut up.

Bunny's eye-roll is almost audible. "Careful, mate; any more puns like that and yer gonna end up with a mouthful of floor before ya know it."

"Well, we wouldn't want that," I say casually. "Though...I kind of would like to get down. Safely, that is. Without eating the floor."

The damn rabbit just chuckles and shakes his head. "Ah, we'll get ya down in a minute, kid. Just gotta preserve the humiliation. Go ahead, North."

With a chuckle, North nods and holds up the camera. Since I like being as difficult as possible, rather than an annoyed glare, I shoot a wry smile at the lens as the flash goes off. There. Now no one can call me a sore loser.

True to their word, the others do help me get down once they take the picture. It's really Tooth that does all the work, as she flits up to me and pulls me upright, then cuts the rope with her wing and lowers me to the ground. "Thanks," I tell her, then pull the rest of the rope off my ankle.

I'm about to reach down and pick up my staff, but unfortunately for me, I don't get the time to. Suddenly, some sort of weighted object falls from the ceiling and pins all four of us to the floor. It appears to be a kind of giant net tethered to multiple spherical weights that keep it firmly on the ground. Almost instantly, I start to feel drowsy.

This net...it's made of dreamsand. Of course Sandy would go for all four of us at once...and of course we'd all get caught in his trap.

Sure enough, the little golden man himself happily floats out of one of the rooms in front of us, silently laughing at our fate. "Damn it...Sandy..." I grumble through the heavy curtain of sleep that threatens to crash down on me. I have to say, it's not easy to stay awake when surrounded on all sides by dreamsand. In fact, North's already asleep and snoring loudly, and the rest of us are close to joining him.

Sandy takes the opportunity to steal North's camera and take a picture of us, as per usual. However, he doesn't let us go. Instead, a mischievous smirk forms on his normally serene face, and he pulls out...a black marker.

...oh my God he's pulling a Jigglypuff.

Since North's already fast asleep, Sandy goes to him first, drawing something on his face that I can't see from my point of view. I begin to drift in and out of consciousness, and my vision starts to go fuzzy.

Soon, however, Sandy comes over to me. I attempt to give him a harsh look, but considering the fact that all he does is silently chuckle, I'm guessing my drowsy glare looks less than impressive.

Already I feel myself slipping further into sleep...though I fight to keep my eyes open, no one can resist the pull of dreamsand for long. Just as the marker touches the spot on my upper lip where an inky mustache would fit, my eyelids slide closed despite my best efforts. All I can do now is succumb to the warm darkness of sleep...

Damn it, Sandman...this means war.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll hopefully see you next week for the next chapter! I start school again this week, but I'm hoping to still have time to write. If not, please be patient and I'll see you...when I see you!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	10. Music

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Thankfully, starting school didn't prevent me from updating!**

 **...yet.**

 **Ah well, it may happen eventually, but it's not the end of the world. Anyway, before we do anything else, let's take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks SO much to gilleanfryingpan (You like Set it Off too? That's awesome! Hope you enjoyed the concert!), PuertoRicanBelle, AllShallFade777 (Well, I figured that since Jack spends a lot of time around humans, even if they can't see him, he'd be a lot more up to date on pop culture than the others would be. Not to mention the fact that I headcanon Jamie as a video game nerd along with being a canon cryptid nerd, so Jack could have found out through him XD), RoronoaLily, and sparklehannah!**

 **With that done, let's get on with the chapter!**

* * *

 ** _~ Music ~_**

Sometimes I wonder about the other Guardians. Before, they never really struck me as the familial type, especially considering that it was fairly rare to see them all together at once outside of battle. Now that I'm here, however, they (namely North) seem to be working harder than ever to bring us all into a weird sort of family by using some...interesting methods.

Methods like holding a random karaoke night.

Not even kidding.

To tell the truth, I actually do like music quite a bit. Through 300 years alone, it was always the best way to break the silence. And yes, I'll admit...I do have a habit of singing to myself sometimes. But I never planned to do it in front of someone else—I've never heard myself recorded or anything, so I don't even know if I'm decent at it. Maybe I sound alright to me, but I could be completely tone-deaf, for all I know.

To avoid potential embarrassment, I've tried to escape several times by this point...which is why I'm now tied to a chair with a dreamsand rope. Though, I suppose Bunny is too. I guess for once, we're on the same page.

The other three Guardians that actually use their voices have all already gone, and the results have been good across the board. Tooth's actually a great singer, North is surprisingly decent (though all he's been singing is Christmas songs), and though you can tell Bunny would rather be literally anywhere else, he's still got a pretty good voice. Sandy, meanwhile, acts as the DJ and controls all of the music. Not gonna lie, he looks pretty happy over there with shades and headphones on.

Which is pretty much a direct contrast to how I'm feeling.

Why is that? Because North has just suggested that I be the next one to get up and sing something since I haven't yet, and all of the others are agreeing with him.

...please kill me now.

Not gonna lie, I never thought I'd actually miss being invisible, but here we are. Knowing it'll be useless, I don't bother to struggle when North literally picks me up and puts me in front of the microphone, but I still wish I could somehow teleport away. Gotta love stage fright.

"Don't worry, Jack," North says when he sees my uncomfortable expression. "You will do fine. It will be fun!"

Fun. Riiiiiight...

"Listen Frostbite," Bunny grumbles. "If I had ta sing, so do ya. Go ahead and get it over with."

Tooth smiles at me as Sandy gives me a thumbs-up. "I'm sure you have a great voice, Jack!" she says reassuringly.

I'm not quite as sure, but hey, guess we'll see.

Alright, I just need to get through this...most songs are only a couple of minutes long, so it shouldn't be too bad. I just need to pick something that's more on the...mellow side. A sad song, maybe. They're usually easier to sing...I don't want to embarrass myself after all; Bunny'll never let me hear the end of it. So yes, a calm, possibly sad, non-strenuous song...I think I've got one.

I go over to Sandy and whisper my choice to him. He nods and finds the music for it, and the moment I get back to the microphone, it begins to play. I take a deep breath, waiting for the cue for vocals to come in.

Here goes nothing.

" _Hello, hello,_

 _Anybody out there...?_

' _Cause I don't hear a sound..._

 _Alone, alone,_

 _I don't really know where the world is,_

 _But I miss it now..."_

So far so good...

" _I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name,_

 _Like a fool at the top of my lungs..._

 _And sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright,_

 _But it's never enough..._

 _'Cause my echo, echo,_

 _Is the only voice coming back,_

 _Shadow, shadow,_

 _Is the only friend that I have..."_

You know, this song is remarkably fitting when it comes to my whole situation. Would you believe me if I told you I didn't even intend that?

" _Listen, listen,_

 _I would take a whisper if,_

 _That's all you had to give..._

 _But it isn't, is it?_

 _You could come and save me and,_

 _Try to chase the crazy right out of my head..."_

I'm pretty sure my eyes have been closed for literally the entirety of this.

" _I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name,_

 _Like a fool at the top of my lungs..._

 _And sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright,_

 _But it's never enough..._

 _'Cause my echo, echo,_

 _Is the only voice coming back,_

 _Shadow, shadow,_

 _Is the only friend that I have..."_

Now for the more powerful part of the song...still not too strenuous, but I'd better raise my voice a little to match...

" _I don't wanna be an island!_

 _I just wanna feel alive and–_

 _Get to see your face again..._

 _I don't wanna be an island!_

 _I just wanna feel alive and–_

 _Get to see your face again..._

 _But 'til then..."_

Dear God when will this end?

" _Just my echo...my shadow..._

 _You're my only friend and I'm–!_

 _I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name,_

 _Like a fool at the top of my lungs..._

 _And sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright–_

 _But it's never enough...!_

 _'Cause my echo, echo..._

 _Oh my shadow, shadow..."_

Almost done...

" _Hello, hello..._

 _Anybody out there...?"_

...and that's that. The music fades out, and before I know it, I'm finished. Now...time to see if I made a fool of myself or not. I open my eyes to see all four of the others staring at me in...awe? Shock? I'm honestly not sure.

I awkwardly clear my throat and say. "So, um...how'd I do?"

This seems to break the spell, and oddly enough, they all start clapping. Well I mean, Bunny's still tied up, so he kind of can't clap, but I have to say that even he looks relatively impressed.

I...guess I did well?

"Jack, that was amazing!" Tooth exclaims, beaming. "I didn't know you could sing like that!"

North nods in agreement. "Excellent performance!" Sandy seems to be of the same mind, as he comes over and pats me on the back with a grin.

Even Bunny chuckles and nods, saying, "Can't lie, mate, ya might be annoyin' as hell, but ya've got a good voice on ya."

...okay at first I thought the other three might just be saying those things to be nice, but if even BUNNY is willing to compliment me, then...I guess it's legit.

I feel myself start blush a little and I turn my head slightly to obscure the blue coloring on my face (yes, I blush blue, it's a winter spirit thing, don't question it). I can honestly say that I haven't really gotten praise like this for something before, so...I'm not entirely sure what to do with it.

So instead of reacting, I just get a drink of water because my throat is literally bone-dry from nerves.

Once I've calmed down enough to lower the risk of my entire body and mind malfunctioning on me, the Guardians pull me into conversation again. "So, Jack..." North says with a smile. "We are continuing with little music night...will you sing more?"

I pause, mulling it over. It kind of surprises me how not averse to the idea I am now. Singing one song wasn't so bad, and I get the feeling I'd have more fun if I just went along with the others and didn't worry about embarrassment. Fun is kind of my thing, of course, so...

I give a grin and nod. "I'm in."

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed! By the way, the song used was Echo, by Jason Walker. Great song, I definitely recommend giving it a listen! With that, I'll see you all next week for the next chapter!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	11. The Winter King, Part One

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! We're in for a fun arc this time...but before that, let's take care of reviews!**

 **Thank you so much, sparklehannah (I'm glad there was so much you loved, thank you!), RoronoaLily (Aw, thank you!), and gilleanfryingpan (...do...do I want to know what led up to you touching Cody's butt? XD Either way, glad you liked the chapter!) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the new arc!**

* * *

 _ **~ The Winter King, Part One ~**_

Being the Spirit of Winter is literally anything but easy. First, of course, there's the fact that no other kind of spirit actually respects my season, seeing as it's widely known as the season of death. Then, my position of power comes into play, making me the figurehead that the others all take their anger out on. Not only that, but I've even had several other, lower-ranking winter spirits try to assassinate me so they could ascend to my lofty position.

...it's a hard-knock life, I guess.

Aside from the constant physical danger I tend to be in, there's actually another factor that makes my job all the more irritating. Once every ten years, every spirit in existence is required to attend a mass gathering—a meeting, if you will. The Guardians have usually been excused, due to them being endlessly busy, but the rest of us all have to go in order to listen to a progress report from each of the four seasons.

Unless you're me, in which case you're one of the four "lucky" souls set with the task of actually giving said progress report.

The spirit world has a certain hierarchy to it that's nearly impossible to break. The Man in the Moon has the top spot on the ladder, but since he never bothers to come down and actually interact with people (totally not still bitter...), Mother Nature is the boss down here. The Guardians are in their own category that's a bit separate from the rest, so I won't go too much into that right now. Them aside, the next-highest rank after Mother Nature herself is that of the four Head Seasonals.

Aka me, Cerelia, Eliana, and Silas.

The four of us are made to dress up like kings and queens (they even have us wear crowns) and sit in balconies overlooking the rest of the members of our seasons, those in the lower ranks. For the other three, I bet it's enjoyable; after all, they're the ones who are actually respected. For me, on the other hand...it's complete and utter torture. No respect ever comes my way. They dress me up like a king and tell me I have power, when in reality, they think of me as less than dirt.

It's incredibly humbling, I assure you.

As you may have guessed from the long-winded explanation that I only give for things relevant to the story I'm about to tell, today is the day of the first spirit gathering since I became a Guardian. Already infuriating, I know, but to make matters even worse, the other Guardians have promised to take time out of their busy schedules to finally attend the meeting for once.

I'm thrilled.

The four of them had stopped going long before even my human self was born, so they've never seen me in my "kingly garb." On anyone else, the clothing would look noble and majestic, but when scrawny stick-boy Jack wears it, it looks like someone decided to dress a child as royalty for Halloween. D'awww, just look at the little boy pretending to be such a powerful grown-up! ...not the most flattering effect, that's for sure.

This is exactly what runs through my mind as I don the getup and stare into the mirror. It might look different to someone else, I don't know, but all I see in my reflection is an imposter. A peasant trying to be a king. A boy trying to be a man.

Something poetic like that, anyway.

I reach to the side and pick up the crown that I haven't worn in ten years. Objectively speaking, the pure blue, never-melting-ice that forms the headwear is beautiful, but the shameful position that it stands for distorts it's visual appeal. When I lift the crown and place it on my head, I feel its weight, but nothing else. No magical transformation into true royalty, no rush of power, no sudden confidence or pride.

Just Jack playing dress-up.

Pushing these thoughts aside, I grab my staff and leap from the window, letting the Wind catch me and carry me to a remote Russian forest. I land lightly in the snow right in front of a gnarled tree with an indentation just big enough to fit a hand in its trunk. This is Winter's entrance to the meeting place.

Once I touch the indentation, the tree begins to shine with cerulean light, and I step back, covering my eyes with my arm to avoid being blinded. Once the glow fades, I can see that the tree's trunk has split in two and has bent outwardly to create an oval between the two halves. The air within the oval ripples with magic—it's a portal.

Steeling myself, I step through. As the forest fades behind me, I step into a dimly lit corridor furnished with nothing but the occasional blue, snowflake-patterned sconce. There's a light at the end of the hall, which I know is coming from the gathering chamber. I can faintly see a mass of colors moving around, representing each spirit moving to sit with all the others of their respective season.

I can't help but sigh as I think about the Guardians' presence. Bunny, having a springtime holiday, will sit amongst the spring spirits, while North joins the winter spirits beneath my balcony. Tooth and Sandy, since their jobs aren't season-specific, will merely go to the autumn section, where the undefined spirits are told to go. In the past, they might have had their own special balcony, but they haven't attended for so long that it was taken down and never rebuilt. For now, they're just part of the crowd.

After I wait alone for a few more minutes, the sconces on the walls begin to glow a brighter shade of blue. This is my signal to start moving.

One short walk later, I find myself entering the gathering chamber, the eyes of every spirit present on me. I'm the last Seasonal to be called in, so the other three are already seated in their balconies. I imagine that they all got a fairly warm reception from everyone, but my entrance is met with only silence.

Don't worry, I'm used to it.

Going out of my way to avoid looking for the Guardians, I proceed to the center of the chamber, where Mother Nature and a few of her guards stand. As is customary, I give a short bow in respect, then, when she nods, I lift my head, turn on my heel, and take to the air, flying all the way up to my seat. Once I'm seated, sitting as straight as I can manage, Mother Nature begins to speak, and the meeting officially begins.

For my part, I just immediately zone out, absently looking around the circular room. Not to worry, though, I wouldn't bore you with the details of speeches even if I had actually paid attention to them myself. You're not here for the boring stuff, after all; you're here for the action.

I mentioned before that the Seasonals all give progress reports, and this proceeds as normal. Spring starts, then Summer, then Autumn, then Winter, me. However, just as I'm standing up and opening my mouth to speak...something not-so-normal happens.

A loud crashing noise suddenly sounds, and a shining blue vortex forms in the middle of the room, just steps away from where Mother Nature stands. A strong wind rushes through the room, and out of shimmering azure light steps...oh no.

The man that appears in the room is one that I've never seen in person before, but is also one whom I'm quite familiar with. His skin is just as pale as mine, if slightly tinted blue, his white hair is wild and ice-tipped, and his frosted beard is close-cropped. He's dressed in white furs and has a battle-axe strapped to his back, and his eyes are an intimidating steely gray.

Who is this guy? Well, he's got quite a few names: Old Man Winter, Father Frost, Jokul Frosti...but one thing always stays consistent: he wants my job, and is more than willing to kill me for it. He's sent plenty of assassins after me in the past, but has never come for me himself...until now.

He looks directly at me and smirks coldly. I shudder. This is one winter spirit that definitely lives up to the "demon" stereotypes.

"Jack Frost!" he bellows, voice echoing through the chamber. "I hereby challenge you for the title of Spirit of Winter! And to do so..." His somewhat pointed teeth form an unnerving grin. "I invoke the ancient terms!"

My heart stops. My eyes go wide as the gathering chamber erupts with alarmed exclamations. It seems as though I'm not the only one in disbelief...

There's a reason that "the ancient terms" are referred to as ancient. They fell out of favor millennia ago, and haven't been used since. Since they were never formally revoked, they're still technically a valid method of challenging a spirit for their position, but neither I nor anyone else ever dreamed that they'd somehow be invoked once again, let alone in such modern times.

Because who in their right mind would willingly initiate a battle to the death!?

* * *

 **...see you guys next week. ;)**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	12. The Winter King, Part Two

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Sorry (not really) for the way I ended the last chapter, hehe...but for now, let's take care of reviews!**

 **Each and every thank goes to DemigodseaMeg16 (AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA is right XD), locky3760, AllShallFade777, gilleanfryingpan (Good to know XD And with my author superpowers, I can put Jack's life in danger all I please, hehehe...:), RoronoaLily, and MOMOtheDOMO! Thanks so much for reviewing, guys!**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ The Winter King, Part Two ~**_

I've been sitting in the snow outside the North Pole for a little over an hour now. I haven't done a thing since getting back—I haven't even changed back into my usual clothes yet. I'm still dressed like royalty, my long blue cape pooled out around me on the ground. The only thing missing is my crown. That, I threw into a snowdrift beside me the moment I landed. Sure, I'll have to get it out soon, but I won't lie, it felt pretty good to hurl that thing into the snow as hard as I could.

I can tell that the Guardians are getting worried about me. They're giving me some space, but every now and then, I hear the door behind me open as they check to make sure I'm okay.

I'm not okay, of course. I accepted Old Man Winter's terms.

Technically, there was nothing stating that I had to go through with what he was proposing. However, if I refused, I would be required to forfeit my position of Spirit of Winter to him without so much as an objection. I won't lie, stepping down does seem pretty nice on the surface, seeing as I'm not the biggest fan of my job. It would be so easy to just do that and be done with it.

But I can't.

The "winter spirits are demons" stereotype didn't come out of thin air, and it wouldn't be bragging to say that I'm just about the most human one there is. Old Man Winter, or Jokul, or whatever you want to call him is particularly notorious for embodying these ideas. I've heard that he even killed a past Spirit of Winter with his own hand in an attempt to get her job. Guess there's a pretty good reason that Winter is the only Head Season position that ever fluctuates.

I believe he was in exile for hundreds upon hundreds of years for the murder, given that unauthorized killing isn't an acceptable way to take over a position. I'm not entirely sure of the exact location, but wherever he went off to, he was allowed to leave there a few decades ago. That's when his attempts to assassinate me first began. To avoid taking the blame again, he instead made allies of the equally ruthless winter spirits that would actually like him to be in power, and sent them after me. Some of them had tried to kill me before, but on their own agenda. I suppose they thought they'd have a better chance if they all joined together, but they never managed to take me down.

The main difference between them and me is that I don't abuse my power. I follow Mother Nature's orders and I minimize death as much as I possibly can. I've failed before...but at least I try.

The rest of them, on the other hand, have no qualms with causing death—some of them even enjoy it. If Old Man Winter was to take over...there's no telling what sort of destruction he might cause. As much as I hate my job, I have to defend it...he can't be trusted with the boost in magical power that comes with the position.

I can tell myself this all I want, but I still have to face the unbelievably difficult truth; I can't win.

Old Man Winter, despite the name, is most certainly NOT some sort of feeble grandpa. He's built like a viking and easily towers over me, even though I like to consider myself pretty tall. His magic probably can't affect me too much, but then mine won't do much to him either. Since we're both immune to the cold, the only other route to take is physical combat.

Which is why I'm screwed.

Now, I'm not entirely helpless without my magic; I've picked up various martial arts techniques over the years and my speed is comparable to that of a blue hedgehog. However...I'm still not really much of a fighter. I've spent most of my life running away from attackers, and the only battles I've really been in are the ones with the other Guardians against the Nightmare Army, and...let's face it. Nightmares are easy to take down. They're literally made of sand, so it was only their vast numbers that made them a problem.

So all in all, I have no experience in a one-on-one fight. Not only that, but there's also the fact that I'm practically a stick figure given life to consider. I might be quick, but the moment Jokul lands a hit on me, my scrawny self is going to be sent flying into the audience. It'll be like a t-shirt cannon, but instead of a cannon, it's the flat side of a battle axe, and instead of a t-shirt, it'll be my corpse soaring in and whacking someone in the face.

Excuse my increasingly referential humor. That happens when I'm nervous.

Damn...I don't even know what to do. The date of the death match was set to a week from now, which basically means that I've only got a week left to live.

And just when my life was starting to become worth living for once, too...

How should I even spend that week? Should I try to have as much fun as I can? Spend time with the Guardians or Jamie and Sophie (God, how am I gonna break this to them...?)? Warn people of the impending wintery doom? Should I even try to prepare for this...? I can't imagine it would have any grand effects, especially if I try training alo—

"Oi, Frostbite."

Aaaaaaaand, there's my second heart attack of the day, courtesy of the one and only E. Aster Bunnymund. Thanks, friend.

Once my heart rate's under control, I muster up a half-hearted glare to shoot at him, but it's clear that he isn't impressed.

"What are ya doin' out here?" he deadpans.

"Oh, you know," I mumble. "Nothing much. Just lamenting over my imminent death."

"Yer not gonna die." he insists.

I give him a look. "Think logically," I retort. "That guy's gonna pound me into the dirt. I'd start writing a will if I actually had things to give to people."

Bunny rolls his eyes and stands in front of me, arms crossed. "If yer so convinced yer gonna die, why'd ya accept the terms?" he asks skeptically.

"Because..." I mutter, eyes trained on the ground. "I'd just be forfeiting if I didn't...it wouldn't feel right to just...give up like that."

Bunny merely arches an eyebrow. "Then why do ya sound like yer givin' up now?"

I don't have a response to that.

"Ya wouldn't've accepted if ya didn't plan on tryin'," he continues. "Which is why the four of us are gonna help ya prepare."

"Which means?" I ask dully.

Bunny leans down to my level. "We're gonna train ya in combat, Frostbite. We've all had plenty of fightin' experience, and we ain't lettin' ya head in there unprepared. We're makin' sure ya get out alive, got it?"

I suppose I should've expected as much. I know full well that they're gonna do whatever they can to help make sure I survive...a weird feeling, for sure, but a good one.

Which is why, even though I don't think it'll help much, I have to take them up on their offer. Not that they'd give me much of a choice anyway. With a sigh, I stand, only remembering to fish my crown out of the snowdrift at the last second.

"Alright," I say, dusting the snow off of the headwear. "Let's do it."

* * *

 **Training montaaaaage! Sort of. I mean there will be training, but it's kind of hard to write a montage.**

 **...I'll shut up now.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you back here next week for the next part!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	13. The Winter King, Part Three

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian!**

 **Yikes...I'm really sorry for the lack of an update last week, but...I was a very sick Saphie. XP I'm still trying to shake off the really bad cold I got, but luckily, I am feeling much better than before, so...yay, update! I won't waste any more of your time here-let's get to the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to PuertoRicanBelle, YourStranger15 [X3] (Heh...sorry for making you wait so long for an update! Usually I update every Saturday, but last week I wasn't feeling well enough to write...hopefully that doesn't happen very often, though!), RoronoaLily (Though instead of How to Train Your Dragon, it's How to Train Your Jack XD), gilleanfryingpan (Thanks! I do this because it's my job to put Jack through emotional distress. Hurt Jack is best Jack XD As for requests, as of right now, the story's not officially open to them, so I'm not specifically obligated to write what a reader tells me to write, but if you happen to suggest something and I get inspired by what I hear, then I'll certainly write about it! Just let me know if you have an idea and I'll see what I can do) for reviewing!**

 **Now, without further ado, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ The Winter King, Part Three ~**_

It was decided relatively quickly that North and Sandy were going to be the ones to train me most directly. North is the Guardian that towers over me the most—I need to get used to fighting someone bigger than me—and Sandy will provide magical projectiles. I might be immune to the cold itself, but Old Man Winter might still try to send razor-sharp blades of ice at me, which could tear through my flesh just as easily as it could someone else's. I'm not sure if he'll actually go for it, but it's better to be prepared instead of shredded to ribbons on the spot.

I now stand in a random empty room in the Pole that we've fashioned into a sort of training arena. Tooth and Bunny stand off to the side while North and Sandy position themselves in front of me, sword and sand at the ready.

Now, like I've mentioned...I'm really not much of a fighter. I can honestly say that I have no idea what I'm doing. Still, everyone except Bunny has promised not to laugh at me if I screw up, so...I'll take what I can get.

My grip on my staff tightens as I assume the best battle stance that I can muster. I already know it's less than great—I feel stiff and shaky, like someone could flick my forehead and end up knocking me over.

I don't have time to try to correct myself, however, as North almost immediately lunges at me, swinging his sword at my abdomen. His blade might have been heavily padded to the point where it would only bruise me if it connected, but damn...still terrifying.

With a yelp that is much less masculine than I'd like to admit, I jump backwards before the blow can be landed, just barely getting away in time. Unfortunately for me, North is relentless, and he just keeps coming at me until my back is pressed up against the wall and I have nowhere left to dodge to. North places his sword on my shoulder, close to my neck, and raises an eyebrow.

"That is loss for you," he says simply.

"I wasn't ready..." I mutter lamely as he steps back. Even though we're quite a distance away, I can still hear Bunny's snort of amusement at my pathetic excuse.

North shakes his head. "Opponent will not wait for you to be ready," he tells me. He frowns and studies me for a few moments before continuing. "You are thinking too much. I have seen you fight Pitch...you are better than this. Do not forget to let instincts guide you."

I frown slightly, confused. "Instincts?" I ask. "How am I supposed to trust my instincts in something I've never done before? This is my first time in an organized fight, and—"

"Hah!" North interrupts, waving me off. "Organized fight? Is no such thing. Fight happening may be planned, but once it starts, nothing is at the book."

"By the book," I cant help but mumble.

The man merely shrugs. "Is what I said."

I know better than to argue with the "is what I said" excuse.

"Anyway," North continues. "Main part of combat is doing what you feel is right. There is no time for strategy when person is coming at you with weapon! Do not plan before fight; opponent will not follow plan. Most important thing is to react! Watch what opponent does, then respond. Is like driving."

I don't bother to point out that none of us actually drive, because regardless of questionable metaphors, I can't deny the fact that he's right. Acting on instincts has always been what's kept me alive before...it would only make sense that it would apply here too.

Guess I'm just paranoid, then.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up to see North gently smiling at me. "Just because you have never done this before, it does not mean that you cannot," he says firmly. "You had never fought Pitch before and yet you did well with that, yes?"

"I...guess so..." I concede. I didn't end up dying or losing any important body parts, so I guess that means I did well enough.

In the background, Sandy gives me an encouraging smile and a thumbs up as North addresses me again. "Now..." he says, one eyebrow arched. "Are you ready to continue?"

I nod. "Yeah." After all, what else can I do?

()()()()

Days pass, and slowly but surely, I improve.

North was right, of course; instincts are everything in a fight. They don't necessarily have to be instincts particularly honed for battle, just the natural ones that tell you to do whatever you can to stay alive. It's that simple. Just don't die.

It is now the day before the battle for my position is to take place, and I'm about to start my last sparring match before Sandy sends me off to sleep so I'm properly rested up for tomorrow. As usual, I'm fighting North and Sandy, but Bunny and Tooth haven't exactly held themselves back from trying to get in a blow or two in order to test my perception and reaction time.

I stand, facing my opponents, ready for one of them to make the first move. Oddly enough, though, neither of them even shifts.

Welp, I know what that means.

Sure enough, I sense movement behind me to my left, and I drop into a sideways somersault just in time to avoid the boomerang spinning by the spot where my head once was. As though animated by the motion, North springs forward, his sword coming down in a menacing arc towards my crouched form. I drop even further and log-roll out of the way, then, as he lifts his blade back up, I wrap my legs around his arm so that he lifts me with it.

He immediately flicks his arm to the side to shake me off, and I let it happen, flipping in midair so that I land lightly on my feet. I don't waste any time, however, and I quickly ice over a bit of the floor, skating forward. Being used to living in cold conditions, North does not slip on the ice suddenly forming beneath his feet, but that was never my intention. Instead, as he braces himself, I drop once again, this time sliding under him while hooking the end of my staff around one of his legs and pulling. Normally, North would be too large for a stick figure like me to bring down, but my added momentum does the trick, and he falls.

However, I'm not done. Throwing knives formed from dreamsand buzz past my ear and I instantly twist to avoid the next few that Sandy sends flying towards me. With a flick of my wrist, I form a transparent dome of ice around myself, which acts as a shield against the projectiles until I can get my bearings. Once I get a better sense of what I'm doing, I dispel the ice shield and leap at North, who has just gotten up again. He holds up his sword to meet me in midair, but I have the Wind push me a bit to the side as I form a blunt piece of ice meant to represent a blade in my hand. As I pass North, I tap the ice against his side to simulate a slash, and he acts like he's been hit for real, losing his balance and stumbling to the side. Regardless, however, he recovers before I manage to get another blow in.

You'd never hear anyone deny the fact that Nicholas St. North is a formidable opponent in battle. Even without the others providing projectile support, I know I'd have an immense amount of trouble holding my own against him without using magic to directly attack. As such, I find myself having to take advantage of my speed and small frame. Throughout the course of the sparring match, I practically dance around the man, dodging his blade and taking every single opening I can get, no matter how minuscule. It almost becomes a pattern; he attacks me, I evade, then I dart in, do what I can, then quickly get the hell away from him. Of course, his clever tactics and the interferences from the others make for some pretty devastating wild cards, but by some miracle, I manage to stay on my feet, keep moving, and little by little, wear him down.

When I finally knock the sword out of North's hand with a well-placed kick, I'm initially almost too surprised to continue. However, the sudden move he makes to retrieve it snaps me out of my shock, and I cause a wall of ice to spring up between his hand and his weapon. Before he can react further, there I am, holding a new ice blade to his neck.

I grin slightly, mimicking North's accent. "That is loss for you."

He gives a chuckle. "Hah...is very funny."

Quite a bit of congratulating takes place after my victory against North, and for a while, I happily let myself be caught up in the triumph and pride. However, I soon find myself unable to shake off the dark thought that's been gnawing at me all week. It's all fine and good if I can defend myself, but even if I do manage to stay alive, this fight still must ultimately end with a death.

...and when it all comes down to it, do I really have it in me to kill someone...?

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you next week!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	14. The Winter King, Part Four

**Hey, guys! Once again, sorry about no update last week. I wanted to have a longer chapter for this one, and I just didn't have time to get everything written. However, here we are again today, so let's get right to the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to YourStranger15 (Heh...you'll see) and gilleanfryingpan (Hm...not quite what I had in mind, but I hope you like what I've written either way ;) And I would've used the "That is loss for you" if I hadn't already envisioned the ending of this part as a little more serious...sorry! I did still like your suggestions, though!) for reviewing!**

 **And with that...on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ The Winter King, Part Four ~**_

This is the one and only time I've ever worn my crown more than once in the span of a decade. And what a lovely occasion it is...

I once again stand in the Winter entrance to the spirit gathering chamber, which Mother Nature has fashioned into a sort of temporary battle arena. As I wait in the dim light, thoughts even darker than my surroundings begin to creep into my mind. I can't believe I'm actually doing this...I'm literally about to participate in a battle to the death over a job that I never even liked in the first place. I can't be the only one that thinks this is insane!

Sure, the world will ultimately be better off if I fight this battle and win, but...what about me personally? This can only end one of two ways, and neither can be considered positive for me. I either walk out of the arena as a killer or get dragged out as a corpse.

...why? Why is it always me? Why can't I just...I don't know, catch a break for once!? Haven't I suffered enough!?

...

It takes me a moment to realize that I'm now leaning heavily against the wall, gripping my hair so hard that my scalp begins to ache. Damn it...I need to pull myself together. It'll do me no good to break down now...

No matter how much I feel like crying.

I wrestle with my pathetic thoughts for a few minutes before the sconces finally brighten, signaling that it's time. Time for me to kill or be killed...

Honestly, I'm not even sure which I'm hoping for anymore.

Feeling strangely distant, I make my way down the corridor, not actually flying, but feeling as though I'm gliding along in a daze all the same. My cape furls out behind me as I move and my crown weighs far too heavily on my head. It feels as though an eon passes before I finally emerge into the chamber.

As usual, I'm met with silence, but...this time, it feels different somehow. For once, no one appears to be scorning or fearing me. They seem less hateful and more solemn. More grave.

After all, no matter how much they hate me, none of them can deny that, compared to Jokul, I'm the lesser of two evils.

The wintery demon is nowhere to be seen at the moment, but Mother Nature and my fellow Seasonals stand in the center of the makeshift arena. I stand and wait as Cerelia, Eliana, and Silas approach me together, heads held high with dignity. Once they position themselves in front of me, I bow my head in pseudo-respect to them, and they do the same for me, surprisingly with not much hesitation.

"Frost," I hear Cerelia murmur. I lift my gaze slightly to see, to my shock, her emerald eyes practically glowing with some sort of...quiet ferocity.

I don't respond, instead merely waiting for her to continue.

After a long moment, she says simply, "Kick his ass." As I practically freeze, stunned, both Eliana and Silas nod in agreement.

"For all of our sakes...you'd better win," Eliana warns.

"Good luck, kid," Silas adds.

Without another word from any of them, the three briefly bow their heads once more, then straighten and turn. Before I can react, they're already flying up to their balconies above their respective portions of the eerily silent audience.

...did...did that just happen!?

Did the three spirits that have given me the most hell over the years seriously just encourage me to NOT die!? This...this is pretty much unheard of! My God, everything's all backwards...I mean, I'm not complaining about a lack of verbal and/or physical abuse, but still, this is insane...

I guess it's just a testament to how evil Old Man Winter really is.

Before I can stand there in shock like an idiot for too much longer, Mother Nature beckons me over to her. Taking a deep, albeit shaky breath, I walk to the center of the arena, joining her where she stands by a small pedestal. I have a feeling I know exactly what the pedestal is for...

Sure enough, when I face Mother Nature, she carefully reaches forward and lifts the crown from my head, then places it on the stand beside her. "This crown," she says calmly. "Is what you will be fighting for today, Jack Frost."

I look up at her for a moment, then I shake my head. "You're wrong," is all I say.

She does not respond.

Instead, she turns to face the opposite end of the chamber, where one of the dark corridors has just begun to give off a soft glow. And of course, an all-too-familiar figure emerges from the dim light.

Old Man Winter.

This is it.

When he enters the arena, Mother Nature leaves it, pausing only a moment to place a protective barrier around my—no, the crown, so that it can't be stolen in the middle of the fight. There's no need for her to stick around and read off any rules—there are none—or announce why everyone's gathered here—we all know. All that she needs to do is position herself in the only empty balcony—mine, obviously—and utter exactly one word.

"Begin."

Jokul wastes no time in lunging at me, battle axe swinging in a deadly arc towards my neck. Allowing my instincts to take over, I leap backwards, landing far enough away to avoid being decapitated, but close enough to still feel the air from the strike on my face.

Undeterred, the man grins, showing his pointed teeth as his gray eyes flash. "You can't defeat me, boy!" he declares confidently. "I'll wear you down soon enough!"

My eyes narrow. "Oh yeah?" I growl. "Try me." I quickly jump backwards again to avoid another attack.

He only laughs coldly (no pun intended) and assures me, "Oh, I will!"

The first few minutes of the battle consist of him swinging his axe at me and me subsequently jumping out of the way. Exciting, I know, but I get the feeling that he's only warming up. He could easily do so much more, but...I guess he's just trying to see if he can get an easy victory in right off the bat.

Yeah. Not gonna let that happen.

Given the fact that I'm active pretty much all the time (not to mention immortal), it takes a hell of a lot to get me out of breath. Even so, just to be safe, I mostly have the Wind assist my movements so that I don't have to put as much effort into each jump. As such, I'm able to easily dance away from the axe's blade each and every time without even breaking a sweat.

What? I'm not bragging, it's just the truth.

And...said non-braggy truth seems to be seriously pissing Old Man Winter off. Gradually, his swipes contain more power and reach, and I have to work harder to evade each one. Okay...time to stop messing around and get serious.

At his next strike, instead of merely leaping away, I instead (with the Wind's assistance, of course) jump over the weapon, and even manage to sail over my opponent's head. Before I land behind him, I undo the clasp that holds my cape together around my neck, and it falls, successfully cloaking Jokul's head for the few precious seconds I need to form an ice blade, turn around, and—

CLANG. He blocks the attack with the flat side of his axe.

Damn...this guy is even better than I thought he'd be.

Switching to a new plan, I jump back again, this time forming an array of deadly icicles in the air around me, then I send them zipping in Old Man Winter's direction. He dodges or blocks most of them, shattering them into pieces, but one shard manages to graze the left side of his face. Still, he is undeterred.

The two of us continue our pattern of attack and dodge, his movements nowhere near as fluid as North's, but all the more dangerous for it. Though I don't tire, neither does he, continuously taking the offensive while all I can do is struggle to stay out of range.

Soon, he gets fed up. Without warning, he throws his axe at me, causing me to let out a (definitely brave and heroic and not at all high-pitched) cry of shock as I dodge to the side. Without warning, he's there, and suddenly I see stars as his powerful fist connects with my head.

I must black out for at least ten or so seconds, because my the time I open my eyes, there's Old Man Winter, axe once again in his hand as he approaches my prone form. When I struggle to stand, fighting against the sudden dizziness washing over me, I go down again almost immediately from the sharp kick to my side.

"Pathetic," Jokul scoffs. "Absolutely pathetic. And YOU'RE the one who deserves the position of Spirit of Winter over me? Ha! I think not..." His steely eyes narrow. "This fight is over."

"Th-That so...?" I pant. I shift around slightly to look him in the face, then give a smirk. "Ha...I think not."

Without giving him any time to react, I plunge the shard of ice I'd just picked up into his leg, causing him to let out a roar of pain and fury. I scramble to my feet and dart backwards just in time to avoid having a battle axe separate my head from the rest of me. While I'm sure the crowd is entertained by the comeback, I'm beginning to realize that such a move was...less than a good idea.

I had done it in hopes of slowing the guy down, but now, Old Man Winter seems angrier than ever, coming after me with even more strength than before. The ferocity of his attacks becomes so great that I finally resort to creating my small but impenetrable ice dome in order to compose myself. Despite the weapon's strikes, my little bubble of safety holds true as I take a moment to think.

"Coward!" Jokul shouts, pounding his axe on the ice even more. "Get out of there and face me like a man!"

Though internally, I couldn't possibly be panicking more, outwardly, I give a smirk, forming two ice blades behind my back and fusing them together into an angular double-blade. "Your wish is my command," I quietly reply.

Heart pounding, I dispel my barrier just as Old Man Winter takes another swing at me. As quickly as I can manage, I duck underneath the axe and jump forward, jamming my double-blade into his face. One side creates a long scratch across his cheek, while the other sinks...right into his left eye.

...which is pretty much the grossest thing I've ever seen, so I'll spare you the gory details of that one, don't worry.

I guess the partial blinding of my opponent could be counted as a minor victory for me, but the benefit is far less great than I'd hoped it would be. Unfortunately, I'm unable to jump away from him in time to avoid an ice blade of his own plunging into my side.

Almost instantly, I let out a scream of pain, but before I can do anything, Old Man Winter yanks the blade out and flings me across the arena. Each time my body collides with the ground as I tumble to a stop, a jolt of pain shoots through me, and I feel tears spring to my eyes as stars fill my vision. Damn it...this is bad...

When I finally manage to stop, I'm still given no reprieve, as I'm suddenly bombarded with shards of ice, each of them slicing my skin and clothes with alarming ease. Despite my struggle to get up and create a shield, a new slash breaks my concentration each time. It's only when my own blood begins to trickle into my mouth that my injuries finally become too much for me, and I collapse on the ground, strength draining.

Is this...how it ends...?

Through my steadily fading vision, I manage to see Old Man Winter approaching me, ice blade in hand and a sickening grin on his face. I think I hear the crowd screaming in protest, but I'm honestly not sure. Either way, the man soon stands directly over me.

He smirks. "Your time is up, Jack Frost," he says smugly. He raises the blade, and I know what's coming next.

Jokul brings the knife down, aiming for my heart, and so I do the only thing I can think of; I freeze my own chest solid.

The blade becomes embedded in the ice covering my body, but it only actually digs deep enough to draw a small amount of blood to the surface. However, that bit of blood is enough. The crowd falls silent and Old Man Winter begins to laugh as I go as still as I can manage, letting my eyes slide shut.

They all think he's killed me.

When I dare to crack open my eyes again, he is no longer facing me. He has his back to me with his hands in the air, proclaiming with pride, "Listen well, spirits! This battle has ended!"

My fingers twitch, ice beginning to form in their grip.

"Jack Frost is dead!"

My muscles tense.

" _I...am your Winter King!"_

After this bold proclamation, he suddenly gives a shuddering gasp, eyes widening in horror. He hadn't noticed the ice sword until it was sprouting from his chest.

"No," I growl in his ear. "I am."

* * *

 **There should only be one more part to this arc after this...so see you guys then. ;)**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	15. The Winter King, Part Five

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Before we do anything else, time to take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to AllShallFade777 (Nope...took away his life instead), YourStranger15, Fat456cat, DemigodseaMeg16, and gilleanfryingpan (No need to apologize, you're good XD As for ships, though...I actually don't really have any. I prefer to keep it purely familial love between the Guardians, I don't think they [especially Jack] would realistically fall for Pitch, I headcanon Jamie and Sophie to be descendants of Jack's sister, making them related to him [and I don't want to pair either of them with any of the others], and I don't have any OCs that I pair anyone up with. Sorry if it's disappointing, but I'm not a Rise of the Guardians shipper, heh) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the final chapter in this arc!**

* * *

 _ **~ The Winter King, Part Five ~**_

I woke up in the North Pole infirmary two days after my battle with Old Man Winter. Although, I guess "woke up" is kind of a relative term. My eyes were open, but I wasn't really "there," just delirious and apparently mumbling something about snowflakes. North had then given me some sort of healing potion that made me feel as drugged up as mortal medications might have, and before I could even set my mind straight, I was out again.

That was three days ago.

The potion worked well, and my wounds are now just healed enough to the point where I can sit up without too much assistance. I'm still confined to bed, though, until I've fully recovered. Under normal circumstances, this would've bothered me, but now, I don't really care. All I really want to do right now is sleep until the pain goes away.

And I don't mean the pain from my injuries.

I technically should be resting at the moment, but a few unexpected and unwanted visitors have come to call. I sit quietly in my bed, eyes trained on my hands in my lap as Mother Nature stands before me, my crown in her grasp. The other three Seasonals stand behind her, silent and expressionless.

"Jack Frost," Mother Nature says to me. "Congratulations. You have successfully bested your challenger and thus retain the title of Spirit of Winter." She approaches my bedside as the others lower their heads in most likely false respect. "This crown will remain yours until another challenger seeks after it."

She places the crown on my head.

I must look unbelievably foolish in it.

Now that my title has been made official once again, there is no need for any of them to stay any longer. They leave without speaking another word to me. I'm relieved. I don't feel much like talking.

Once they're gone, I take off the crown and let it fall to the floor. I honestly could not possibly care less about what happens to it now. It's mine once again, so I can treat it as apathetically as I please.

Wincing against the throbbing pain in my side, I lie back down, trying to find some semblance of a comfortable position. As far as sleeping spots go, a hospital bed is far from the worst that I've had, but still, I somehow find myself unable to relax.

Is that a side effect of being a killer?

Don't get me wrong...I'm glad that Old Man Winter is dead. He was an evil man who, after all the lives he's ended, deserved what he got. But...the last thing I wanted was to be the one to do it.

Painful regret courses through me almost constantly now—ever since I woke up, in fact. I find myself constantly longing for the time before the challenge was even proposed. The time before I had blood on my hands.

This isn't the first time that death has been caused by me. When you're the Spirit of Winter, death is practically in the job description. You never create a blizzard with the intent of handing out hypothermia along with it, it just...happens sometimes. It still hurts, of course...but at least then, I could always tell myself that I didn't do it on purpose, and it was just nature doing the work.

But I can't exactly pretend shoving a sword through someone's heart is because of "nature," now can I?

It's not really the fact that I killed him that bothers me so much, I guess. It's not who I killed, or why I killed him, or even how I did it. It's not the sound he made when he realized that he was dying. It's not even the spray of blood that hit me the moment I pulled the blade out of his body to let him fall.

No...it's the fact that in the moment, I didn't care.

I stuck that blade through his back and out his chest, and throughout the whole process, I didn't give a damn. I wasn't horrified at what I was doing. I wasn't repulsed. I wanted him to die.

I wanted him to die so that I would not.

Survival is a natural instinct, of course, but do we not all prefer to think ourselves above that? Think about it. What would you do in my situation?

I'll assume that most of you immediately thought, "Oh, well of course I wouldn't kill someone! I'd find another way out of it!" Either that, or you probably didn't know how to answer.

If you said anything else, I'm...concerned, but never mind that.

The point is, most people don't believe that they would ever have it in them to kill someone. We think that we'd never stoop that low. We think that we'll never be put in a situation where we have to do something inhumane, or that even if we are, then we'll still find some happy way out, some storybook ending where we get to stay innocent and our smiles get to stay genuine. Being someone who's suffered as much as I have, you'd think I'd be jaded to the point where this doesn't surprise me, but...

Knowing I was able to kill someone is one hell of a reality check.

Do I think I'm evil? No, not really. I was just a guy trying to stay alive, and because I did so, the world's not about to freeze over anytime soon.

If I haven't quite made myself clear; allow me to spell out my feelings on the issue one final time. I'm glad that Jokul is dead. It had to be done. Ending his life in particular is not and never will be what I regret.

I only wish that I'd never had to learn how easy it is to snuff out a life, and how painful the aftermath can be.

But I've rambled for long enough...I know that this despair won't last forever. I know that the other Guardians will do whatever they can to get me smiling and laughing again. I know that my injuries will heal, and I'll be back on my feet in no time. I know that this incident has not broken me. I know that my now-gaping wound will soon become nothing more than a scar that merely twinges from time to time. I know that there are plenty more stories for me to tell. But right here is where this particular tale comes to a close. This is where I leave it in favor of the next story, and all those that come after.

Stories don't always have a happy ending. Sometimes, they just...end.

* * *

 **And with that...the Winter King arc has ended. I hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you guys next time for something new. :)**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	16. Tricks, Not Treats, Part One

**Hey, guys! Happy Halloween, and welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Sorry for doing this without telling you guys, but for future reference, whenever I'm writing a chapter of this story for a major holiday that doesn't happen to fall on a Saturday, I'll be breaking the upload schedule in order to post on the day of the holiday. That being said, since this is a two-parter, Part One is posted today, and Part Two will be a normal Saturday update. With all that cleared up, onto the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to YourStranger15, gilleanfryingpan (Oh boy XD Huh, that is kind of a cool way to think of it! And ah! I do plan on writing a chapter where Jack finds out he's related to Jamie and Sophie, thanks for reminding me! Also, no lol, I don't live in Scotland, I'm on the east coast of the U.S. Don't keep staying up until five just to read my stuff, get some rest first! XD), RoronoaLily, PeterPanFan13, and etarnax for reviewing!**

 **That being said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Tricks, Not Treats, Part One ~**_

You know, I really wish I could like Halloween. It involves dressing up, playfully spooking one another, and eating a bunch of candy. In short, it's objectively awesome.

Unfortunately...there's something, or rather, someone, that strives every year to stop me from enjoying the holiday to it's full extent. This killjoy is Lantern, the Spirit of Halloween.

He's easily the most unpredictable spirit that I've ever met, and honestly? He would fit in better among demons rather than spirits. His skin is even paler than mine and his eyes are an unsettling shade of orange, which...is pretty creepy in and of itself. But looks aren't everything, of course. No, the dagger on his belt is probably a more accurate indication of his personality.

I won't go into it too much right now, but just know that the main reason the guy hates me is that I embody Fun, and he takes his holiday WAY too seriously. Lantern even thinks that it should be called "a night of terror" instead of "something as frivolous as a holiday."

Yeah. The dude's weird. Also, the way he talks brings "ye olde poetry" to mind, but that's kind of irrelevant.

Point is, he's sadistic and full of himself and he hates me for being fun. Also maybe because during one of our encounters, I gave him a scar across the right side of his face, but I could never quite figure out whether or not he was really angry about that. Either way, every Halloween, he comes after me to "play with me," as he calls it.

Translation: Stab, slash, or otherwise injure me.

Most of the time, I really don't care. I've only fought back a couple of time, and he usually doesn't inflict any lasting damage—all he's doing is toying with me, after all. However...now that I'm a Guardian, I'd sincerely prefer it if he held off. It'll only cause the others needless worry...

Though hopefully, Lantern's smart enough to not go after me and risk drawing their attention and subsequent wrath. He's always been the cold, calculating type...I can't imagine he'd outright antagonize me tonight. He's smarter than that.

Which is good, considering the fact that I'm spending the first part of the night in Burgess with Jamie and Sophie. Wouldn't want to traumatize them, yeah?

The Wind brings me to Jamie's window and I knock lightly, waiting for the familiar boy to come and greet me through the glass. Instead, the sight I'm met with is...a smaller version of myself?

The brown-eyed mini me sheepishly opens the window to let me in, his face red with embarrassment. "So, uh..." he starts awkwardly as I enter, hiding a smirk behind my hand. "...what do you think?"

I lower my hand, grinning. "...that's just plain adorable, Jamie," is all that I manage to say with a straight face before bursting out laughing.

This kid, I swear...this just made my night.

Jamie's face reddens even further. "I-It's a good costume, right!?" he questions insistently. "It looks just like what you always wear!"

Through my laughter, I quickly assure him, "No, don't worry, the costume's great! I just...man, I wasn't expecting this!" I honestly can't help it—I continue laughing.

Jamie still seems defensive, but more jokingly so now. "W-Well..." he stammers. "A-At least I'm not dressed up as someone with the same name as me!"

I grin, straightening my bat-shaped bow tie. "Come on, Jack Skellington's the perfect costume for me. Same name, same tan, same body type..."

The kid arches an eyebrow. "So...pale stick figure?"

"Precisely," I confirm with a nod. "So my costume is perfectly appropriate. Meanwhile, you're dressed up as someone you know. I can't tell if you're mocking me or just copying my style." Don't worry, I'm just messing around with him, teasing if you will. I do that.

"Well, I didn't exaggerate any part of the costume to make fun of you...and isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?."

...he's well-spoken for a nine-year-old.

I shrug. "Well, what if I got my outfit copyrighted? Then you'd be breaking the law, and you'd go to jail."

Jamie smirks and says, not missing a beat, "Then explain why people are able to dress up like Mickey Mouse or the Mario Bros without getting arrested. They're copyrighted, aren't they?"

"Alright, alright, you called my bluff," I concede with a chuckle. "In all seriousness...it's kinda cool to have someone dressing up as me for Halloween. Though I don't think anyone's gonna know who you are, you know."

"I don't care," he stubbornly insists. "My friends and I know, and that's what matters! Besides...maybe if I tell people about you, you'll get more believers!"

I honestly can't help but smile at that one. "Maybe...thanks, Jamie, really...it means a lot."

Damn it, Jack, don't start crying now. You've got face paint on, for God's sake. Is this how girls feel with makeup? Yeesh...

Thankfully, the door opening saves me from my pending emotional breakdown. Jamie and I both look over to see a certain greyhound run in, followed by a certain blonde little girl. The dog, Abby of course, jumps up onto Jamie's bed, almost seeming to give Sophie a look of annoyance as she does so.

Jamie glances over at his sister, eyebrows raised. "Soph, what are you doing?" he asks dully.

The girl pouts slightly, declaring, "Abby won't be my horsie!"

I can't help but laugh as Jamie rolls his eyes.

Almost immediately, Sophie's attention is drawn over to me, and her eyes widen as she gasps in delight. "Jackie!" she exclaims and runs over to me, jumping up to give me a hug.

With a laugh, I bend down and catch her, picking her up as she puts her arms around my neck. "Hey, Soph!" I greet her, smiling. "That's a nice costume you've got there...Rapunzel, right?"

She grins. "Uh huh! And you're Jack Skelly!"

I give a smile and nod. "Close enough," I say. "You excited for tonight?"

"Yeah!"

"Gonna eat a lot of candy?"

As if I set off some kind of alarm by asking, Sophie's eyes immediately brighten as she happily cries out, "Candy, candy, candy!"

Jamie shakes his head in exasperation. "She already has," he informs me. "She's been sneaking chocolate out of the trick-or-treat bowl all day."

I raise my eyebrow slightly. "Does your mom know?"

He merely shrugs. "Dunno. She hasn't stopped her yet, but she might just think it's not worth the battle."

"Gotcha." I pause, then glance at him. "So, when are you two heading out?"

As soon as I say it, I hear footsteps right outside the room. Startled, I quickly put Sophie down, since...floating children aren't exactly a normal sight to see, even on Halloween. Just as I put her down and straighten up, Jamie and Sophie's mother enters the room.

"Are you two ready to go?" she asks with a smile. The kids quickly nod, and within moments, the three of them are out of the house, me following close behind.

Now, you guys know how trick-or-treating works, so I'm not gonna bore you by describing an hour or so of nothing but ringing doorbells and getting candy from strangers. No, I'm gonna skip right to the Burgess Spook Fest, a little annual tradition the town puts on for everybody. It's basically a big Halloween party that takes place relatively close to my lake. They've been doing it for years now, and it's actually pretty cool! They've got costume contests, apple bobbing, pumpkin carving, and even a "haunted trail" through the forest for teens and adults. Jamie and Sophie still aren't old enough for that one, though, so unfortunately, we're not gonna talk about that one right now. Maybe some other time.

Actually, now that I think about it, there's still not even much to discuss when it comes to the party either...I will mention that Sophie won the costume contest for her age group, though, and Jamie's surprisingly good at bobbing for apples. I swear on my life he got one in less than a second, and he didn't even cheat and use the stem. Not gonna lie...I'm impressed.

It didn't last long, since all the kids had to go home and go to bed before it got too late, but...tonight was fun. And hopefully, it'll continue to be fun, since North's holding a Halloween party of his own at the Pole tonight. I'll admit that I've been on edge because of Lantern all night, but once I get to the Pole, I know I'll be safe.

I spend a little time walking with Jamie and Sophie back to their house, then linger a moment, watching them go inside. They wave to me, and I wave in return, flashing a smile. Before long, they're inside the house, the door shut and locked behind them.

Almost instantly, I get the feeling that I'm not alone.

My eyes narrow and I glance around warily, my grip on my staff tightening considerably. I know better than to try and fly away now. I'd only get knocked out of the air if I did.

I feel a presence behind me, and despite having experienced the same thing several times before, I still can't help but stiffen with fear. Within moments, I hear movement behind me, and a soft, eerily smooth voice sounds in my ear.

" _Hello, Jackson Frost...did you think I'd forgotten about you?"_

* * *

 **Hehe...hope you enjoyed! And once again, Happy Halloween! Stay in a spooky mood, 'cause you'll be getting Part Two soon!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	17. Tricks, Not Treats, Part Two

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian!**

 **Before I get to the reviews, I've got a little bit of an announcement to make. Starting now, the upload schedule for this story will be changed from every Saturday to every _other_ Saturday. I have two reasons for doing this: One, I haven't been able to keep up with weekly updates as of late, and Two, I'm working on a much bigger ROTG project on the side that, once I'm ready, I plan to have fill the "weekly update" slot. Won't tell you what that project is yet, though...it's a surprise. ;) Anyway, now that that's been said, let's take care of reviews!**

 **Thank so much to PuertoRicanBelle (Well, "pale stick figure" is certainly an accurate term XD), gilleanfryingpan (Yes, Jamie had to wear shoes with his costume, though he did get away with just wearing flip flops [which is exactly what I did when I dressed up as Jack a few years ago XD], and in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states [one of which I am in, so I know from personal experience], it can get relatively chilly on Halloween, but usually it's not cold enough to need a jacket or anything. Trust me, I went as Dipper once [so yes, I do know Gravity Falls XD] with just a vest to keep me warm and I was fine, so you get the picture XD As for this year, I didn't go out because I had to be on candy duty at home, but I did go to a friend's Halloween party, and I was Castiel from Supernatural!), YourStranger15, and BamBam for reviewing!**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Tricks, Not Treats, Part Two ~**_

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," I growl under my breath, not daring to turn around to face the other spirit standing behind me. "Almost thought you finally decided to leave me alone for once."

I can almost hear the smirk in Lantern's voice as he calmly replies, "Please, Jackson, I would never let go of my favorite little plaything so easily...I merely did not wish to procure so many witnesses. And children, at that...the Guardians would be on my trail in a heartbeat if I did anything to traumatize them."

My eyes narrow. "Sure," I say sarcastically. "And they wouldn't come after you for attacking me. Right."

Lantern merely laughs. "Oh, they would certainly be angry if they found out." I hear a rustle of fabric, and Lantern circles around me to look me in the face, dagger in hand. His orange eyes flash. "Of course, I know you can keep a secret...can't you, Jackson?"

Until now, I never really noticed how creepy it is that he somehow knows my full first name.

I stiffen considerably as he holds his dagger just below my chin. "L-Listen," I stammer, inwardly cursing my inability to keep the waver out of my voice. "Don't you think this has gone on for long enough!? This whole "you're fun so I hate you" thing is starting to get old!"

The Spirit of Halloween chuckles slightly. "Jackson...have I not made it abundantly clear that I do this for my own enjoyment? Yes, it was your...frivolous disposition that earned you a place on my bad side initially, but even I would not hold a grudge like that for so long." He smirks. "Though I must admit, the nature of your Center certainly makes this all the more enjoyable. Watching the light in your eyes morph into terror has always been...incredibly amusing."

...I told you the guy's not right in the head. God, he and Pitch would be best friends if Lantern didn't have this high and mighty "I work alone" mantra going on.

"Regardless," he continues, twirling the dagger dangerously close to my neck. "I recognize the risk I take with every wound I inflict from this point forth. As such, as much as it pains me to say it, for now, I will refrain from spilling too much of your blood."

I almost start to relax a small amount, but it seems that Lantern's not done talking.

"Don't misunderstand me; you won't be leaving unharmed," he warns, even as he lowers his weapon. "But, I will have the courtesy to give only you bearable injuries you can either hide or pass off as costume makeup. After all..." His eyes now glow eerily. "You know what will happen if you tell your fellow Guardians about our little meetings, correct?"

...a world of pain for me, that's what.

I swallow the lump in my throat and carefully nod. "Yes..." I answer nervously.

He smiles. "Good. We understand each other." His smile slowly melts into a smirk. "Now...let us begin."

 **()()()()**

True to his word, Lantern went easy on me. He still used his dagger, of course, but the slashes he made were much shallower than usual, and he didn't stab me once. I've certainly had worse...thanks to the ice I used to stop the bleeding and keep the wounds closed and protected, I'm not even in that much pain.

The slight tears and bloodstains on my outfit look as if they could be artificial, as does the single scratch across the side of my face. If all goes well, the Guardians won't notice a thing.

But then again, since when do things all go well for me?

As I fly to the North Pole, the Wind constantly whistles in my ear, practically yelling at me to tell them about Lantern so that they can stop him. But I ignore it. It's just being naive...Lantern's an extremely intelligent spirit, and at the first sign of trouble that he knows he can't contest, he'll disappear. Then, once we think he's gone for good, he'll come back with a vengeance. That's just how he works...there's no escaping him.

Once I enter the Pole, I'm immediately greeted by the other four Guardians, most of them in costume. Sandy's wrapped up in bandages like a mummy, Tooth is wearing black robes and a witch's hat, all while carrying a broomstick as she flies, and North is completely decked out in a pretty impressive Frankenstein's monster costume. Bunny, on the other hand, couldn't be convinced to legitimately dress up, but he's at least carrying around a sheet with two holes cut in it in an attempt to at least somewhat appease us.

"Ah, hello, Jack!" North greets me cheerily. "Happy Halloween! Did you have fun with Jamie and Sophie?"

Ignoring the twinging of my various wounds, I grin and nod. "That I did," I reply. "And get this; Jamie actually dressed up as me!"

North laughs and smiles. "Well, you are getting popular, yes? You are Halloween costume now!"

"I don't know about that," I say with a slight chuckle. "It's Jamie, after all...he knows me personally, and he made the costume."

Tooth smiles at me. "True," she concedes. "But it's definitely a stepping stone! He's spreading the word about you, Jack!"

Sandy nods enthusiastically and gives me a thumbs up. Okay, I'm not gonna lie...I can't help genuinely smiling at that.

...at least until Bunny steps forward, nose twitching, and with a suspicious expression on his face.

"Hold on, mate," he says, eyes narrowed. "What's all that blood doin' on ya?"

My heart nearly stops, but North cuts in with a laugh. "Bunny, is Halloween!" he says matter-of-factly. "Is fake blood. Right, Jack?"

"Right!" I quickly confirm, anxious to get this particular conversation over with.

Bunny, however, seems to feel differently. He crosses his arms. "Fake blood, right," he says disbelievingly. "Alright, Frostbite, if all that is fake blood...then how come it smells like yer covered in real blood?"

...so I may have briefly forgotten that rabbits have an excellent sense of smell.

Now, the other Guardians' expressions are shifting to ones of shock and horror, but before they can say a word, I quickly cut in.

"Okay, okay, okay!" I exclaim rapidly. "Alright, yes, I admit, it's my real blood! Look, I...I just got attacked by a couple of autumn spirits on the way here, okay? But they didn't do much! See!?" I pull my top up a little to reveal a small part of my midriff. Sure enough, the slashes look more like scratches that could have been made with autumn spirits' signature sharpened leaves rather than a dagger's blade. "There was only a little bit of blood from each scratch and it barely hurt, so...I'm fine!"

Cue the five straight minutes of them worrying over me before finally realizing that I'm not too injured. Sure, North forces a minor healing potion down my throat, but even I have to admit that it was a good idea. It makes me feel better relatively quickly, to the point where what little pain there was vanishes.

I should consider myself lucky. Lantern usually doesn't make his attacks so...minor. But like he said, he'd be a fool to continue hurting me with his regular intensity when I have four renowned immortal warriors looking after me. Still, he's got my lips sealed about the whole issue. I suppose as long as he can hurt me a bit and continue to terrify me without raising too much suspicion, he'll be happy.

Absolutely sick, isn't it?

Either way, I can't focus on that right now...it'll only stress me out. Now that I'm all healed up and the others aren't going to be pressing me for more information on my attacker/attackers (I convinced them that they were just random autumn spirits who were angry at me for trespassing or something), I might as well just relax and enjoy myself at my first Halloween party.

After all, I AM the Guardian of Fun. And no matter what Lantern says, I'm never gonna regret my Center. You can be sure of that.

* * *

 **And that's the end of the Halloween two-parter! Though someday, Lantern may still return...not any time soon, though. XD Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you in two weeks for the next one!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	18. Sick Day

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Before we do anything else, let's take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to gilleanfryingpan(X2) (To be fair, I'm naturally more comfortable in the cold than a lot of people I know are, so maybe the nice Halloween weather thing is just me, but I usually don't see people needing really heavy jackets or anything, so...yeah XD And wow, we really do like quite a few of the same things! As for Lantern...yes he truly is a trademarked Creep XD) and BamBam for reviewing!**

 **With that done, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Sick Day ~**_

Little known fact about spirits: We can actually get sick. Don't ask me how it works, because I honestly have no idea, but it's true. It's also extremely rare, but yes, a spirit can catch an illness.

Which, as you might have guessed, is what's happening to me right now. I, Jack Frost, have a cold.

Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha.

Look at how hard I'm laughing.

Despite the name, colds have nothing to do with the temperature, so don't even bother saying something like, "Oh, but Jack! You're a winter spirit, and winter is cold! How do you have a cold!?"

It gets old really fast.

Anyway, yes, I have a cold, and I'm currently lying in my bed at the Pole, hating the world. You see, the thing about spirits is that we rarely ever get sick, but whenever we actually do, it hits us HARD. Once again, I don't know how it works...something about the magic in us amplifying the virus? I don't know.

All I really do know is that my head is pounding, I can barely breathe, and I'm pretty sure I'd black out if I even tried lifting any of my limbs. Hooray.

Ugh...I can barely even stay focused enough to do my sarcastic narration. My mind keeps wandering off to go on some sort of weird, fever-induced adventure through my subconscious, making it extremely difficult to concentrate on pretty much anything. Stupid mind.

I know I'll be totally fine soon, but damn, this sucks...North doesn't even have a potion that'll completely cure a cold, so I'm kind of just stuck waiting it out.

Before long, I hear the door open, then shut. The sound of buzzing wings approaches me, and I blearily crack my eyes open to see the blur of color I figure is Tooth.

Christmas is steadily approaching, so North is far too busy to look after me, and I'm pretty sure Bunny would rather slam his head in a car door than have to deal with a sick Jack Frost, so Tooth and Sandy have been alternating checking up on me. Obviously, at the moment, it's Tooth's turn.

"Hi Jack..." she says softly, in a somewhat futile attempt to avoid aggravating my headache further. "How are you feeling...?"

"Dead," I mumble, not even really sure if the word came out coherently or not. Whatever, I'm sure she gets the picture.

I can't see her anymore, given the fact that I've closed my eyes again, but I feel her hand resting on my forehead, which is immediately followed by a thermometer slipping into my mouth. After a beep sounds, the thermometer vanishes, and I hear Tooth sigh.

"Just a little above freezing..." she says. "It's going down, but it's still a fever by your standards..."

Yay.

It's only been two days since I was first confined to bed, and I'm already starting to lose my mind. And just my luck, this sickness seems like it really wants to stick around for a while...it's cruel irony. The Spirit of Winter, struck down by a cold.

I mean come on, I AM cold. Cold can't hurt me. It IS me. Right? I think so...whatever.

Yeah, winter is me, winter is cold, so cold is me, and I am cold.

Yeah.

Wait...winter?

Oh yeah...I need to take care of that, don't I? Winter's pretty soon, so I have to get up...though I don't really want to. It's hot and I'm tired and my bed is comfy...

But still, I've got a job to do, right? Time to roll out of bed...is that someone saying my name? Whatever, not important...I have to—

...oh look, my face is on the floor. That's weird.

I think someone's saying my name again. Back up I go...

Okay, so I'm on the bed again. Is someone tucking me in or am I doing that myself? Can't tell.

I hear a voice say, "Jack, you need to stay in bed!"

No...I gotta get up!

I'm not sure if I said that out loud or not...

Either way, I can't get up. I think I'm too tired to roll off the bed again...

...

...suddenly, my mind briefly clears to the point where I recognize that I'm a delirious moron who shouldn't be trying to get out of bed. Go me. Good thing Bunny's not here, or there would've been quite a few pictures to document my embarrassment. Ugh...

"Sandy gave me some dreamsand to use on you..." Tooth's now saying. I can just barely focus on her words, but the message gets across. "He wanted to make sure you got plenty of rest, okay...?"

"M'kay..." is all I can manage. I can already feel my grip on reality starting to slip away again, so I hope she hurries up with the dreamsand...

Within seconds, I feel the substance lightly sprinkling on my eyelids, and suddenly my drowsiness is magnified tenfold.

Ah, Sandy...what would we do without him?

Time to sleep off this sickness, I guess...hopefully, when I wake up, I'll feel a little better. This in mind, I let the dreamsand take me under, and I slowly drift off to sleep...

* * *

 **Kind of a shorter chapter this time, but I hope you guys enjoyed it all the same! I'll see you in the next one!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	19. Water, Part One

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! I'm really sorry about the lack of an update last week. I was busy with school, and...well...**

 **...Smash Ultimate kind of came out...**

 **...I'm sorry, I had to unlock my two angel boys and it took a long time to find them. Pit and Dark Pit needed me.**

 **...ANYway, onto the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to YourStranger15 (Exactly XD), gilleanfryingpan X2 (Well hey, you usually have the most content for me to respond to XD And...strange theory, but I like it XD As for your second review...yes, thank you for that lol XD), Demi clayton, and allman08 for reviewing! Glad you guys are liking things so far!**

 **So, before I get on with the chapter, quick disclaimer: I don't know how many of you have read the fifth Guardians of Childhood book yet, but...I have not. My excuses are still school and Smash Ultimate. But what that means is until further notice, we're purely going with movie canon here when it comes to Jack. Just wanted to make that clear before I continued!**

 **Also wanted to mention that the bigger project I mentioned before has gone up today as well! It's _Into the Dark_ , the sequel to my pride and joy, _Running for Life_ , the ROTG AU novel I wrote a couple of years ago. If you want, go ahead and check it out! Though...if you haven't read the first one, then you may want to do that first...otherwise you'll kind of be hopelessly confused.**

 **With all that out of the way, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Water, Part One ~**_

Most people generally assume that "spirit" and "ghost" are synonyms. After all, that's pretty much what the media perpetuates.

"Oh, this house is being haunted by an evil spirit." That sort of thing.

Well, Supernatural fans, get ready for a shock: spirits and ghosts are not the same at all.

Ghosts are the ones (yes, they do exist) that come back from the grave and haunt places or objects. They're also transparent, and no amount of belief will ever make them able to avoid being walked through. Oh, and oftentimes, if they're corrupted, they don't remember much about their former life, aside from whatever they might want to get revenge on, and the like.

Spirits, on the other hand, are always flesh and blood, and can be interacted with if believed in. They can become corrupted if pushed hard enough, true, but generally, they're just like any other person (except maybe more egotistical in a lot of cases). Another thing separating spirits from ghosts is that spirits are made by either being created as one, or by transforming a mortal being into one while said mortal is still alive. In short, no one dies to become a spirit.

...unless you're me.

Yeah, the whole "drowns-after-valiantly-saving-sister-from-watery-demise-and-is-granted-new-life-as-an-immortal-spirit-afterwards" thing is Jack-exclusive. Just another thing that alienates me from everyone else.

Great.

Up until recently, I had always thought that I had just been created as a spirit, like the other Seasonals were. Then, when Tooth mentioned the possibility of me having a past life, I figured that I had been a human that was turned into a spirit. Granted, the "coming-out-of-a-lake" thing was confusing, but I didn't pay it much mind. I knew that I couldn't have died, right?

Wrong. Lo and behold, poor Jackson Overland perished in those frigid waters long ago, and the walking identity crisis you all know as Jack Frost was born. Do I know how the Moon brought me back from the dead? No, not really, but I know better than to start asking him questions again.

The main thing I want to stress here is not necessarily just the fact that I died...no, it's the fact that I died, and no one knows yet. I haven't told the others what I saw in my memories. And honestly? ...I'm kind of scared to.

There's been no previous record of a spirit becoming the way they are by being resurrected. What if they...I don't know, think I'm a freak for it? Granted, they'd probably be nicer than that, but...I don't know.

They've already proved willing enough to kick me out at a moment's notice, so I'm not inclined to assume that I can predict what they'll think.

So...a bit of a predicament has surfaced in the form of a lovely little Guardian beach trip.

Yeah...they're all still trying to do the whole "family building" thing, and this time, it involved a field trip to a remote, empty beach that is way too far south for my liking. I guess they heard me say I liked the beach (which I do...trust me, freezing waves is legitimately awesome), but kind of...didn't take the heat into account.

Winter spirit + heat = sadness. Memorize that equation; it'll be on the test.

Thus, while Tooth and Bunny play a surprisingly intense game of beach volleyball, North sleeps in the sun, and Sandy quietly covers him with sand, I merely sit under the umbrella and watch it all, sincerely wishing that we were further from the equator. I mean sure, North gave me a wetsuit to wear rather than just a bathing suit in order to ensure that 90% of my body wouldn't burst into flames the moment sunlight touched my white-as-hell vampire of a self, but come on. It's still hot.

The others had taken notice of my misery almost immediately, but I was decidedly dissatisfied with their suggested solution. All four of them had told me to go jump in the water to cool off.

Therein lies the problem.

Let me spell it all out for you.

I couldn't swim in my human form.

Therefore, I drowned.

As Jack Frost, I also can't swim.

That combined with the fact that I drowned means that I've developed a fear of water.

The others don't know that.

If I tell them about my fear, they'd want to know why.

Once again, they don't know that I drowned, so that would mean explaining it to them.

And who the hell knows what they would say if they found out that I'm technically a walking, talking ice corpse?

As a result of all this internal struggling, I merely said that I didn't feel like going in the water at the moment, and that I'd be fine just watching for now. Of course...they know just as well as I do that that's out of character for me. For God's sake, I'm the Guardian of Fun! Since when have I EVER been content with just...sitting there and doing absolutely nothing?

So yeah, that's my life right now. A big ball of boiling hot boredom.

...at least until Bunny decides he's had enough of me being an idiot.

Once his game with Tooth ends, he comes over to me, a dull look on his face. "Alright, kid," he deadpans. "Ya've been sighin' dramatically for the past half hour, and I'm gettin' sick of it. If yer bored, just get up and do somethin'!"

"Can't," I mumble. I honestly didn't notice that I was sighing that much, but whatever. "Too hot."

"Then get yer ass in the water and cool off!"

"Can't. Don't feel like it."

I guess I pushed him too far with my feigned apathy, because the next thing I know, I'm being hoisted over his shoulder as he mutters, "That's it, I'm done. If ya don't feel like walkin' 50 feet down a beach, then I'll take ya there myself. Anythin' ta shut ya up..."

My eyes widen. "Wait, no, Bunny, let's talk about this a second!" I say quickly, struggling against his grip.

But of course, it's too late. He's already almost at the water's edge.

...goddamnit. This won't end well.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you next time for Part Two!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	20. Water, Part Two

**...God, I haven't updated this in a while.**

 **Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! God, I'm so sorry about not updating for so long...I was super busy with family and such throughout winter break, then when I went back to school, homework, projects and midterms kicked me in the face.**

 **Thankfully, however, I think things have calmed down somewhat! And so, to apologize for being away for so long, today I'm giving you not a single, not a double, but a TRIPLE update, including _Water, Part Two_ , and the Christmas and New Year's specials I missed! Before you go read those, though, time to take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to YourStranger15, Guest, gilleanfryingpan (Good job XD *pat pat*), DreamDancer, Wonder (Hey, Bunny's a scary kangaroo XD), allman08, Arbuzowaqueen (I'm afraid I don't speak [Polish, I believe?], and I don't really trust Google Translate to not betray me, so I'll just say...thank you!), and CloakedDragonWing3721 (I'm glad you like it! Though...I'm not quite sure what you mean. I double-checked everything, and as far as I'm aware, I haven't posted any chapters twice...) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the chapters!**

* * *

 _ **~ Water, Part Two ~**_

In retrospect, I probably should have tried a bit harder to get Bunny to put me down once he started walking towards the ocean. In fact, come to think of it, there were multiple things I could've done to stop him from literally throwing me directly into one of my fears.

I could have gone all serious and told him to stop (because you see, me being serious is an immediate indicator that something is wrong). I could have punched him in the face, dropped down, and ran. I could have even just sustained a really loud pterodactyl screech until it was too much for his sensitive ears and he was forced to put me down and ask what the hell was wrong with me.

Instead, I kind of just...squirmed and yelled unintelligibly the whole way down.

Then, I got tossed in the water.

Then, even though I was in like two feet of water, and my head only went under for about 3.2 seconds, I panicked and jumped up.

Then, I involuntarily froze all of the water around me and trapped my own legs in the ice.

Then, being the genius I am, I tried to run and instead just tripped and faceplanted into the ice, which broke it and freed me.

Then, I actually managed to run a little ways away before collapsing on the beach.

Now, I'm starting to wish I was invisible again so I didn't have to concern myself with the fact that I'm literally hyperventilating after being dunked in two feet of water for 3.2 seconds.

God, I just love being me.

Once I finally get my breathing and flashbacks under control, I become acutely aware of each of the other Guardians (except for North, because I'm pretty sure Sandy hit him with some dreamsand to keep him knocked out while the little guy covered him in beach sand) kneeling around me, asking if I'm okay. Which...I'm really not, but I don't want them knowing that.

...though after my lovely display of courage and bravery befitting of the Gryffindor that online test Jamie made me take told me I was, it might be a bit...difficult to convince them that I'm fine. Even I, Jack Frost, king of all things BS, might not be able to play this one off at all.

Doesn't mean I'm not going to try.

"I-I'm fine!" I stammer quickly, trying desperately to hide the fact that all four of my limbs are still trembling. "Th-The water was just...cold..."

...damn it, Jack, you are an idiot of the highest caliber. Honestly, I should just not be allowed to speak anymore. It never ends well.

"I'll say," Bunny deadpans, clearly unamused with my pathetic attempt at saving the situation. "It certainly got a lot colder when ya got yer hands on it, considering yer a WINTER SPIRIT."

And since I'm an awkward mess of a person that doesn't know when to quit, I try even harder to save this screwed scenario. "D-Doesn't mean I c-can't feel cold!" I retort.

Even though, you know...it does. It means exactly that.

Bunny's eyes narrow. "Frostbite, ya can run barefoot through the North Pole with nothin' but regular pants and a hoodie ta keep ya warm," he states dully.

And this is the part where, instead of shutting my mouth like an intelligent life form, I mumble this brilliant one liner: "...and underwear...so...k-kind of another layer..."

At this point, Bunny looks about ready to throw me back into the ocean, and honestly, I don't blame him.

Finally, however, Tooth steps in and saves me from myself by saying carefully, "Jack, we just want to know what's wrong...whatever it is, we won't think any less of you for it..." Sandy nods in agreement, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

...okay, now what?

Damn it...trying to debate this any further would just dig me a deeper hole. Might as well just suck it up and tell them about my fear. After all, it's not like I have to actually say that it's because I drowned...if they ask, I guess I can just say that I almost drowned once...that should work...

"Okay, fine..." I mutter, looking down to avoid their gazes. Admittedly, this still isn't easy...I'm still not exactly used to opening up all that much yet. "Look, I'm...I'm afraid of water, okay...? That's...that's why I've been sitting in the heat this whole time instead of just coming down here to cool off...happy...?"

There's a brief moment of silence before Tooth says softly, "Oh, Jack...that was what this was about...?" She sits down beside me, frowning in worry. "Why didn't you say something earlier...?"

Not sure what else to do, I shrug and mumble, "I dunno...just...embarrassed, I guess...doesn't make much sense for a winter spirit to be afraid of water, you know...? I can just freeze it over..." I wince slightly, thinking back to my earlier display. "As you saw..."

Bunny arches an eyebrow. "Then why exactly are ya afraid of it?" he asks.

"Bunny—" Tooth starts to scold, but I hold up a hand to stop her.

"It's okay, really..." I say, attempting a shaky smile. "I...figured you'd ask anyway. I just had...a bad experience with water early on...n-nearly drowned, that kind of thing...and I never really learned how to swim, so...unless I'm walking on ice on top of it, I usually stay away from bodies of water...that's all it is. And before you apologize, it's okay...you didn't know."

Tooth gives a slight smile in return and nods at me. "But now we do know," she says. "And we'll make sure nothing like this happens again." She pauses slightly, then narrows her eyes and looks in Bunny's direction. "Right, Bunny?"

The Easter Kangaroo's expression dulls and he rolls his eyes slightly, grumbling, "Right, sheila, yeesh...not like I'm gonna toss him in again." He glances sideways at me. "...that bein' said...sorry about that, kid. Like ya said...I didn't know."

Since I'm feeling a bit better with at least some of the weight off my chest, I manage a slight smirk. "Apology accepted, Kangaroo," I reply.

If possible, his expression dulls even further. "...keep pushin' yer luck and I WILL toss ya back in."

Heh. Doubtful. After all, as much as he tries to deny it...I know he really does care.

* * *

 **Still two chapters left to go for today, so no point in signing off completely! Go ahead and enjoy the rest of the triple update!**


	21. First Christmas

**HALT! This is the second part of a triple update! If you haven't read the previous chapter, go back and do so!**

 **That being said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ First Christmas ~**_

Guys.

Guys, guess what.

I, Jack Frost, despite my long history of pain and suffering, of isolation and loneliness, of various other pairs of negative nouns that mean roughly the same thing, have officially—

Won.

At.

Life.

And how did I do this, you may ask? Well, I'll gladly tell you! Tonight is Christmas Eve, and rather than spending it sitting alone in a random snowy forest somewhere like I used to, I'm in none other than Santa's sleigh, helping the man himself deliver presents! And I even got my own official Santa hat too!

That's right. Be jealous.

Okay, so in all serious, earlier today, I kind of begged North to let me come with him on his route tonight. I had been helping with wrapping some of the last remaining presents when the idea suddenly occurred to me, and I all but ran straight up to North to ask him. It was honestly kind of an embarrassing display that I'll probably be teased about later on, but...I don't care. It worked, and that's good enough for me!

Admittedly, I haven't actually been able to ride in the sleigh again since coming back from my Guardian ceremony, and let me say this: it's so much more enjoyable when you're not being attacked by mini Nightmares, frantically rushing around trying to collect thousands of teeth, or dead tired after defeating the Nightmare King himself.

In a word, the sleigh is awesome. It's just like North always says! Everyone loves the sleigh.

(Except maybe Bunny. Pretty sure he's still scared of it.)

Anyway, most of the trip just consists of us flying around and talking, then stopping at houses and me waiting while North drops off the gifts inside. However, now, we've gotten to a certain little town in Pennsylvania that I know and love, where both of us are entirely sure that two certain little believers will be awake, eagerly awaiting North's arrival.

Sure enough, when North and I both enter the Bennett household, both Jamie and Sophie excitedly jump up to greet us.

"Hey, North, hey, Jack!" Jamie says brightly, waving to both of us.

"Hey, Jamie!" I reply with a smile as North returns his wave.

"Santa!" Sophie exclaims, beaming. "And Jackie!"

I laugh slightly and pick her up to give her a hug. "Hey, Soph!" I greet in return. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" she replies, hugging me back.

"Yes, Merry Christmas, indeed!" North laughs with a nod and a smile. "How have you two been? Enjoying holiday?"

"Uh huh!" Sophie answers, bobbing her head excitedly. "Christmas fun!"

North gives a loud laugh once again. "That is good!" he tells them. "Now, we can't stay long...still lots of presents left to deliver! But first..." He reaches into the sack slung over his shoulder. "Here are yours!"

To the kids' delight, North begins carefully positioning several colorfully-wrapped packages underneath the glittering Christmas tree, as well as fitting a few smaller gifts into their stockings over the fireplace. Once he's done, he turns back to them and gives a wink and a knowing smile. "Remember, no opening any of these until morning, got it?"

"Got it!" they answer simultaneously, despite still practically bouncing with excitement.

I smirk slightly. "I, however," I cut in, stepping forward. "Have a gift for you both that I'd like you to open now, okay?"

At their hasty agreement, I smile and pull out a small present wrapped in blue, frosted paper, then hand it to them. Upon opening it, they see that my gift to them is a crystal-clear ornament carved from ice of my own creation that I've ensured will never melt or even shatter. It's in the intricate shape of a snowflake, and in the center of one side, a "J" for Jamie is engraved, as is an "S" for Sophie on the other side. As both of their faces light up at the side of it, I can't help but let my smile broaden.

"Pretty..." Sophie breathes, eyes wide in awe.

"It really is..." Jamie agrees. He looks up at me. "Did you make this...?"

I nod, grinning slightly. "It's carved by my own hand," I reply. "Merry Christmas, you two."

Almost immediately, Sophie runs forward to hug me while Jamie quickly picks out a spot on the tree for the ornament. Once it's safely hanging on a branch towards the very front, he too comes up and hugs me.

"Merry Christmas, Jack!" he says happily as his sister quickly nods in agreement.

...God, I love these kids. They really know how to warm my ice block of a heart.

Speaking of heartwarming, Jamie soon breaks the hug to go retrieve something from the couch on which he had been sitting before. First, he gives North his traditional milk and cookies, then he turns towards me.

"And...here's some cookies for you!" he says, thrusting a little bag in my direction. "And a card we made!" He gives me the homemade card as well, which is a folded piece of blue construction covered with glitter glue, crayon drawings of snowflakes, Christmas trees, and even a few of me, all tied together with a message reading, "Merry Christmas, Jack!" followed by messy signatures from both Jamie and Sophie.

Yep. There goes my heart. It's just...a puddle now. It has completely melted.

Many more "thank you"s and "Merry Christmas"s are exchanged after that...but soon, it comes time for North and I to get going once again. After some final hugs, we depart, heading back up to the sleigh on the roof, and allowing Sandy's dreamsand to slip inside to sprinkle softly on the kids' eyes.

This has been amazing.

As I sit back down in the sleigh, North turns to face me with a wry smile on his face and a small gift bag in his hand. "You know," he says to me. "I was going to wait until tomorrow to give you this...but I'll let you open it now."

...oh my God I'm getting a Christmas present from Santa Claus.

Once he hands me the bag, I attempt a slight smirk to hide my childish excitement. "Aren't I on the naughty list?" I ask, chuckling slightly. "What is this, coal?"

North merely laughs and shakes his head. "Naughty List or no, family always gets presents," he assures me. "Open it!"

Without further ado, I comply and open the bag. I reach inside and pull out...a tiny, silver globe flecked with a few softly glowing blue lights.

My eyes widen. I whisper, "Is...is this...?"

North nods and smiles. "Your own Globe of Belief," he confirms. "Is to keep track of only your believers...you will be gaining plenty more in no time at all, I know it!"

...if possible, my heart melts even further.

"I...God, thank you so much North..." I breathe, unable to keep the wide smile off of my face any longer. "This...this really means a lot..."

He merely gives me another smile and replies, "Merry Christmas, Jack."

A very merry Christmas, indeed.

* * *

 **One more chapter to go in this update!**


	22. New Year, New Family

**HALT! This is the final part of a triple update! If you haven't seen the previous two chapters, go back and read them first!**

 **That being said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ New Year, New Family ~**_

Normally, this would be the part where I go on some long tirade about whatever's relevant to today's story before getting into the actual dialogue. This time, however...we're doing something a little different.

Tonight is New Year's Eve, and it's just a few minutes away from midnight. Now, spirits don't usually celebrate New Year's, myself and the other Guardians included. Our life spans are so long that there's not really much of a reason to celebrate each year's beginning and end.

Because of this, December 31st is usually nothing more than a regular day for me. Sure, I did go see Jamie and Sophie for a bit today, but they're having a party with their family and friends, so I couldn't exactly stay for long without getting walked through. Currently, I'm sitting on a window seat in my room at the North Pole, staring out across the darkened, snowy landscape, feeling, for once in my life, somewhat at peace.

There's no real story this time around because nothing remarkable is happening. Like I said, New Year's Eve is just a regular evening for me...though, this particular one has got me thinking.

This is the first new year to roll around since I joined up with the Guardians. It's the first time I'm greeting the new year with a roof over my head and a smile on my face. It's the first new year I'm facing in which I know I won't be alone.

It's...honestly crazy to think of how far I've come. Less than a year ago, my life wasn't even remotely worth living. In fact, I'm surprised I had the will to stay alive for this long.

Maybe I was a glutton for punishment. Maybe I was really good at distracting myself from the pain. Maybe I just didn't have the nerve to end it for good.

Or maybe, just maybe, some part of me sensed that someday, things would get better.

Hell if I know...but somehow, here I am.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still far from okay. Nightmares still haunt me whenever I try sleeping without dreamsand, and I still haven't let the other Guardians in on everything that's gone on in the mess I call a life. I still get anxious if I'm left alone for too long, and a part of me is still terrified that I'll wake up to find that all this has been just a dream, and that I'm still on my own for good. Some wounds take a long time to heal.

But, damn it, I have to believe that they CAN heal. I've made it this far...what kind of ending would it be if I gave up now, after all this time?

I might still be hurt. I might still be in pain. I might still be shattered into a million pieces on the ground, just waiting for someone to come along and help me put myself back together.

But now, I have a chance. I have people here beside me, doing everything they can to, little by little, fix me.

North. Tooth. Bunny. Sandy. Jamie. Sophie. Wind.

My family.

They say it takes twice as long to heal than it does to break. Now, I can't exactly pinpoint the exact moment when I broke, but I will say this. No matter how long it takes...I'm going to keep fighting to get better.

Sure, I might be a lonely, anxious little icicle with trust issues and a tragic backstory, but if all the others can believe in a wreck like me...maybe I can give it a shot too.

Maybe someday, my smile will come easier. Maybe someday, I won't be so tired. Maybe someday, the pressure in my chest will ease, and my laugh will be lighter. All I really know is that I want to see that day. I want to get to the point where I can say "I'm okay" and mean it.

I want to live for that day.

I want to live for the family I finally found.

I want to live for each and every story we create.

My eyes flick towards the clock on the far wall. 11:59. The tiny second hand is just a few more ticks away from reaching 12. I watch it for a moment, then begin to whisper softly.

" _10...9..."_

A New Year's tradition seems to be making resolutions that fall apart within the first week of January. However, I think I've come up with one that I can handle for a long time.

" _8...7..."_

Live.

That's my resolution. To live.

I don't mean to just "not die," or simply "survive." What I mean is that, for the first time, I want to lead a life worth living.

" _6...5..."_

I want to create memories.

I want to have dreams.

I want to experience wonder.

I want to have hope.

" _4..."_

I want to have fun.

" _3..."_

I'm a mess, and believe me, I know it. But I somehow managed to find a home to shelter me and a family to care for me. The time for suffering is over...now, it's the time for healing.

And hey, if even a screw-up like me can get to this point...

" _2..."_

...then so can any of you.

" _1..."_

I smile.

" _Happy New Year."_

* * *

 **And on that note, that's the end of the triple update. :) Hopefully school will calm down a bit for me and I'll be able to actually keep up with my update schedule, heh! I hope you guys enjoyed these three chapters, and I'll see you (ideally) in two weeks for the next chapter!**

 **Until then, Sapphire316, out.**


	23. Little Snowflake, Part One

**...someday I'll get this schedule thing right. Someday.**

 **Hey guys! Welcome to another...somewhat belated Becoming a Guardian update! You all know my reasoning by this point—school is mean. I won't waste your time with anything other than that, so...let's move on to the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to Arbuzowaqueen (Not really sure what you typed there...it just shows up as a couple of squares to me), KitoH (Aw, thank you so much!) and Demi clayton for reviewing!**

 **With all that said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Little Snowflake, Part One ~**_

So, uh...you guys remember the magic room at the North Pole, right? The one that got me turned into a cat the last time I went inside?

Yeah, of course you remember. I know I sure did, so I decided to go back in and see what kind of stuff I could find this time around. Before doing so, however, I at least had the sense to ask North if there was anything in here that was potentially dangerous, and he assured me that it would be perfectly safe to mess around in here to my heart's content.

So this time I, like the intelligent person I am, decided to pick a potion at random and drink it.

...don't judge me, I'm bored and stupid.

So I know what you're wondering. What hilarious and/or humiliating magical thing happened to Jack this time?

Well...I can at least assure you that I'm still human.

Spirit.

Whatever.

But, uh...well...let's just say that I'm significantly...smaller...than I'm supposed to be at the moment.

...

...

...okay, I'll stop stalling and just say it. I'm a little kid. The potion turned me into a little kid.

...

...

...you done laughing yet? No? Well too bad, I'm continuing anyway.

So first, I've got a little something to explain. Oddly enough, it seems like the potion somehow managed to split my consciousness in two, meaning that, while my actual centuries-old self is sitting in the background, observing, and giving my usual snarky commentary, my physical, currently three-or-four-or-whatever-year-old self is sitting on the floor and crying after tripping and falling over.

It's weird, it's like I'm just spectating my own life. But instead of normal me, it's a smaller, more emotional, and less coordinated version that's really just serving to embarrass me at the moment.

What's even weirder is that even the part of me that's stayed relatively rational is still feeling the effects of the intensity of kid me's emotions. Like...God. You'd think I'd just gotten stabbed from how upset I feel right now, but all I did was fall over. Such a minor thing, and yet I'm crying my eyes out over it.

Such is the life of a toddler, I guess.

Anyway, I guess I can't really complain, considering I literally did this to myself, but I'm exceedingly bothered by the fact that this potion takes 48 hours to wear off (I'm apparently still old enough to be able to read a bit, so I was able to acknowledge the label on the bottle when I looked at it earlier). It's not necessarily the de-aging itself that bothers me, but...the fact that there's no way that the Guardians won't see me like this.

And dear God will some of them (*coughBunnycough*) go straight for the throat with blackmail.

Here's the problem: I can't control my actions like this. Like I said, normal me is just a spectator at this point. Everything I do and say for the next few days is purely up to kid me to decide, which...isn't ideal. Knowing my luck, I'll embarrass the hell out of myself before even the first 24 hours are up. And though what I do might not be my fault, it still technically will be because I was dumb enough to do this to myself.

God, why do I let my boredom get the better of me? Why do I do stupid things in the name of curiosity and/or potential fun? Seriously, why am I like this!?

The world may never know, I guess.

Though what I do know now is that kid me has finally stopped crying. Yay!

But now I've gotten up and am now stumbling out of the room to try to find someone to play with. Boo.

Damn kid me and your need for social stimulation. Shame on you.

Now, unlike when I was a cat, I don't even try to stay hidden, as much as I'd like to. I just kind of...run through the middle of the workshop, getting distracted by pretty much everything along the way, and probably confusing a lot of yetis in the process.

Oh, and I forgot to mention something. It's not really an essential detail, but it's important to me that you know this: despite the fact that my clothes (thankfully) shrank with me, my staff did not. So imagine a tiny version of me dragging around a wooden stick that's easily about three times his height, trying his best to hold onto it while still attempting to look at just about every toy in the nearby vicinity.

You're welcome.

Anyway, this goes on for only about five minutes before the yetis decide they're already sick of me. One of them (it might sound fake, but I swear to God his name is Bobert) comes over, grumbling something I can't understand, and picks me up, setting me down on a cleared-off table.

During this action, little kid me feels the need to giggle, hug his arm, and proclaim, "Fluffy!"

Meanwhile, regular me cringes into oblivion.

Bobert the yeti simply shakes his head, then calls out to a different yeti in what I assume is an order to go get North. Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, the man himself is standing in front of me, not even bothering to hide the wide smirk on his face.

"Ah, so this is why you asked if potions were safe!" he laughs, looking me over amusedly. "What did you do...pick up random potion and drink it?"

...the guy's good, I'll give him that.

Little kid me, however, doesn't really understand the question, so rather than try to justify my (admittedly idiotic) behavior, I simply tilt my head to the side in confusion.

North chuckles in response. "I will take as yes," he says. He looks over me again, stroking his beard in thought. "Well...I suppose I will have to take care of you until you are back to normal. Is good thing that this happened just after Christmas, I am not so busy now!" He grins just a little too mischievously for my liking. "And...we are in luck. We are able to call over visitor!"

I don't like where this is going.

"After all, is still early in year, and Easter is not for few months..."

I REALLY don't like where this is going.

"And I am sure Bunny would like to see this!"

...damn it, North. You just had to come along and not only throw me under the bus, but then proceed get into the driver's seat of another bus and hit me a second time after the first bus already ran me over.

Despite regular me's irritation, however, kid me has a different response in mind. Completely against my will, I giggle happily and repeat, "Bunny!"

...I hate everything.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed, and I promise I'll try to be on time next update!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	24. Little Snowflake, Part Two

**Hey, guys! Agh...I'm really sorry about missing another update, but I've actually got a different excuse this time: I straight up just wasn't feeling well enough to write last week. Luckily, though, I feel much better now, so...here's the next part of the Little Snowflake arc! First though, review time!**

 **Thanks so much to the lone reviewer this time around, GuardianOfMyster! Glad you're liking things so far! :)**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 ** _~ Little Snowflake, Part Two ~_**

As promised, North promptly called Bunny over to the Pole mere minutes after he'd found me, and, as expected, the damn kangaroo immediately began laughing at me.

Although, I suppose I can't blame him much. After all I did start giggling and holding my arms up as if I wanted to hug him the moment I saw him, so...I was definitely worth laughing at.

...I still hate everything, though. Like seriously. Both of them are still laughing at me and taking pictures for blackmailing purposes, while kid me is just sitting there with a dopey little grin on my face. It's just...infuriating.

Hm...but perhaps I can turn this around in my favor...they're laughing now, but only because I seem cute and harmless. But what if I wasn't harmless...?

('Cause you know I'm always adorable. You can decide whether this is sarcasm or not.)

You know...I might not have any control over my own movements right now, but I just realized something.

I'm a little kid.

With ice magic.

And I can fly.

...oh I hope to God that kid me decides to give these two nothing but hell. That would just make this whole thing worth it, to be honest.

Finally, Bunny and North put their cameras down and apparently decide it would be more fun to tease me directly at this point.

"So, is this 'messin' with potions' business gonna be a regular thing, Frostbite?" Bunny asks with a smirk. "Or, wait, maybe I should call ya 'Snowflake' instead...it suits a little ankle-biter more, don't ya think?"

Great, now he's even got a patronizing nickname for kid me. Woohoo.

But wait, perhaps the silver lining to all this is finally showing itself...because little kid me seems to have an idea. I feel myself start to concentrate on something as I stare down at my cupped hands, tongue poking out of my mouth a bit in effort. At last, a slightly crude version of my (not to brag, but usually perfect) snowflakes forms itself just above my palms and, beaming with pride, I hold it up to show the two of them and proclaim, "Snowflake!"

We're just gonna ignore the fact that it came out sounding more like "snowfwake," okay?

While North laughs and says, "Ah, very nice, Jack!", Bunny's eyes visibly widen. Hehe...looks like he's just realized the same thing I have. After all, I've just confirmed that I can still use magic, and that kid me isn't as experienced at it as regular me is.

They are sooooo screwed.

"...North," Bunny says slowly, nudging the still-chuckling man beside him. "Hold on. Tell me somethin'...what did Jack just do?"

North raises his eyebrows, evidently unsure where exactly Bunny's going with this. "He...made a snowflake?" he replies, a somewhat questioning tone in his voice.

The Easter Kangaroo nods as he continues, voice stiff. "And...what does that mean?"

Admittedly, it takes North a little longer to get than it did for Bunny, but not by much. Soon, his eyes widen in realization as well. "...oh no."

"Oh, yeah," Bunny confirms grimly. "Frostbite's not just a little kid...he's a little Spirit of Winter."

Suddenly alarmed, North quickly says, "Then that means he is not in full control of powers! He could unleash blizzard in workshop!"

Huh...didn't think about that. Guess we'd better hope little kid me has at least some restraint, then.

...eh, on second thought, I'm sure it'll be fine. Trying to use the full extent of my powers in this form would probably just make me pass out anyway.

"Well hell, I don't wanna be here when that happens!" Bunny exclaims, already moving to make a tunnel out of here. North, however, seems to have other ideas.

"Wait!" he calls, grabbing Bunny's arm to stop him. "I have idea, but I need your help. We need to...to play with him or something! Distract him from magic! If we keep him entertained, everything should be fine!"

Bunny skeptically arches an eyebrow. "And if it isn't fine?"

North hesitates a brief moment, then answers, "Then we get Sandy to come knock him out! Is simple! He will sleep until potion wears off!"

"Ugh..." Bunny sighs, rubbing at his forehead exasperatedly for a long moment before finally relenting. "Fine, then. I'll stay and help ya, mate. But at the first sign of trouble, we're goin' ta get Sandy, okay?"

North nods gratefully in response. "Of course!"

It's about at this point that kid me decides to giggle in order to get their attention once more. Like I previously did with the snowflake, I excitedly lift my arms up in order to show them what I'm holding in my hands this time.

And what am I holding this time, you may ask?

Bunny gulps. "North...I don't think there'll be any distractin' him from magic now..."

Why...

North takes a step back. "...Sandy. We need to call Sandy."

...a snowball, of course.

Still beaming, I shift the snowball to my right hand and raise it up in preparation to throw. Now...unfortunately for them, it seems that kid me has inherited at least two things from normal me. My sense of mischief...

I smirk.

...and my perfect aim.

* * *

 **I think there should only be one more part to this arc, so...see you guys next time for Part Three! Hope you guys enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you think!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	25. Little Snowflake, Part Three

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Sorry I'm late, I got _really_ sick last Wednesday with an especially bad cold that lasted about a week, so I was too sick to function for a while, making this chapter difficult to write, to say the least. But I'm here now, so let's get to the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to YourStranger15 (He's a smug little troublemaker, even while fun-sized XD), Demi clayton, Arbuzowaqueen, and Loftcat27 X2 for reviewing! Glad you guys all seem to love little Jack! XD**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 ** _~ Little Snowflake, Part Three ~_**

It only takes about five minutes for North and Bunny to decide that me being turned into a little kid is definitely NOT funny, and is instead, a terrifying ordeal that must never be repeated again at any cost whatsoever.

I, meanwhile, am finally having fun.

I suppose I could go into detail about the events of the past five minutes, but uh...well, let me put it this way: kid me figured out how to fly.

Combine that with the previous snowball discovery, and...yeah I've basically been carpet bombing North and Bunny with snowballs this whole time. And it's honestly hilarious.

Remember how I mentioned my perfect aim in my dramatically timed ending last time? So yeah, the two of them might be fast, Bunny especially, but they're no match for the snowball-throwing skills of the Spirit of Winter, no matter how currently fun-sized I am. I've hit them with so much snow that even North is shivering, and he can handle the cold pretty damn well, which means a lot coming from me.

(And of course, Bunny's hopping around like mad, trying to simultaneously avoid getting hit—which he's obviously failing at—and regain some semblance of warmth despite his thoroughly soaked fur. Aww, poor baby...if you can't take the cold, don't try to blackmail Jack Frost. It just won't end well for you.)

Let me just say though, this has been going surprisingly well, especially considering the fact that I'm still not in control of my own tiny body. I guess that, despite everything, I should've had faith in little me. He is literally me, after all.

And as we all know, I'm a clever little troublemaker no matter what my current age is. It's just a fact of Jack.

While I'm floating high above (conveniently) the only two flightless Guardians and incessantly giggling as I mercilessly pelt them with snow, Bunny yells up at me, "Oi! Would ya knock that off!? It ain't funny anymore, mate!"

On the contrary, it's still hilariously funny, so...you can shut up, Cottontail.

Kid me seems to agree with regular me, as I merely laugh harder and drop a snowball directly on the kangaroo's face, causing him to splutter and curse under his breath. Heh...he's mad.

North tries a different approach, instead giving a (painfully forced) smile and calling out, "Jack! If you stop, I will give you cookies!"

Now, this one catches my attention for all of a few moments before I decide that, while cookies are great, this is much more fun. Good kid me. I've trained him well.

...I may also be starting to lose my mind, but that's beside the point.

So I completely ignore their pleads and threats, continuing to torture them like the tiny hellion that I am. At one point, North yells something unintelligible to a yeti, who promptly runs out of the room, but kid me doesn't seem to care much, so I just keep throwing snowballs. At least...until there comes a new voice from behind me, accompanied by the sound of buzzing wings.

"What is going on here!?"

...uh oh. Mama bird's here.

I slowly turn around to see a familiar fairy hovering behind me, arms crossed. Upon seeing me properly, however, her eyes widen in surprise.

"What...is going on here?" Tooth repeats, now stunned instead of angry. She stares at me for a moment, then down at North and Bunny, then back at me.

...so I guess when North sent that one yeti away, he was asking it to activate the Northern Lights in order to get the others here. Thus...here's Tooth, and I'm sure Sandy's on the way.

Normally, this would be the part where I cleverly explain my way out of trouble (or just kind of run away), but I don't really have the ability to do that at the moment. However, kid me seems to have an idea of his own. I giggle for like the thousandth time today and proclaim happily, "Fairy!"

...welp. At least I'm cute.

Tooth's eyes widen a little further and she looks back at North and Bunny again, clearly seeking an explanation.

"He got into potions!" North helpfully calls up to her, brushing the last bit of snow from his beard.

"Yeah, and he's been givin' us hell ever since!" Bunny adds angrily, his scowl visible even from this high up.

What can I say? Raising hell is part of the job description.

Thankfully, though, my young and adorable appearance at the moment seems to be working in my favor. Rather than immediately reprimanding me like she normally would, it seems as though Tooth is having trouble keeping a smile off of her face as she looks at me once more.

"Well..." she begins, fighting back a chuckle. "We can't have that, can we? Let's get you down, okay?" She reaches out and pulls me into her arms. Luckily for her, kid me seems to like her more than North and Bunny, so I let her take me down onto the ground without subjecting her to icy hell too.

When we reach the ground, she finally allows herself to smirk upon taking in North and Bunny's disheveled (and cold and wet) appearances. "So...you two have been letting yourselves get terrorized by a toddler?" she asks wryly, not bothering to conceal the giggle at their expense.

"I-Is not just any toddler!" North retorts defensively. "Is Jack! Spirit of Winter, expert of mischief...top of Naughty List for centuries!? Any bells rung!?"

Aw, thanks North! I always love when people recognize me for my true achievements in life.

"Whatever you say, North," she says, rolling her eyes slightly. "Anyway...is this why you activated the Aurora? Because you couldn't handle a de-aged Jack?"

North pauses. "...well when you put it like that, it sounds...sad," he says. Bunny facepalms, which I personally think is a pretty valid response.

"We ain't dealin' with him raisin' hell like this for any longer than we have ta," Bunny growls, giving me a sharp look. "Once Sandy gets here, we're havin' him knock the bloody kid out until he's back ta his normal self again."

"Are you sure?" Tooth asks. "He really doesn't seem so bad now—"

"We're not takin' any chances," Bunny cuts in. "We need ta get him sleepin' before he figures out he can create a blizzard in here!"

I must say, I'm offended. Thanks for the faith, buddy, love you too. Yeesh...

...though I guess I don't have control over myself, so...anything can happen.

Oh well.

Suddenly, North looks up at something behind me. "Ah, Sandy!" he calls, visibly relieved. "Finally, you are here! We need some help with something..."

About all I can recall from here is the golden light of dreamsand, then...nothing. Yep. I was just knocked out and left to sleep for two days until I returned to normal.

Kinda rude, don't you think? And just when I started enjoying myself, too...

Eh, maybe it's for the best. After all, I prefer actually being able to move myself over just watching myself do random, somewhat embarrassing things. I'm a little disappointed that I wasn't able to cause a bit more trouble in revenge for all those blackmail pictures those two took of me, but...I suppose this outcome isn't too bad.

After all...there are plenty more potions in that magic room to try out.

* * *

 **And there's the end of that arc! Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you next time for something new!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	26. Family Tree

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Before we do anything else, let's take care of reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to Loftcat27 and Demi clayton for reviewing! Glad you guys like the story so far!**

 **Ooh, and as a quick note, know that, regardless of anything that has/hasn't been confirmed, Olivia is the name that I've always used for Jack's sister, so...yeah. Gonna stick with that.**

 **That being said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Family Tree ~**_

As much of a part of me always wished that I could just be a normal person, even I have to admit that being a centuries-old spirit from the colonial era has its uses. The fact that I've lived through the entirety of the amount of time the United States has even existed is actually pretty useful in performing certain tasks.

Namely, helping Jamie with his history homework.

Yep. Look at me, I'm a helpful little Jack. Granted I'm pretty much useless for anything else school-related thanks to my lack of quality formal education, but...history, I've got down.

Though, Jamie's a smart kid, so I doubt he really needs much help from me, but hey, I'm always willing to spend some time with my first believer.

Anywho, right now, since I don't have any Spirit of Winter business to attend to, and the other Guardians are all busy, I'm in Jamie's room, sitting on the edge of his bed as I watch him pull out supplies for some sort of assignment he hasn't explained to me yet. He's got a poster board, a pencil, markers, a couple of glue sticks, and a bunch of circular pieces of paper bearing images that I can't properly see from my current position.

"Whatcha working on, kiddo?" I ask curiously, pushing myself up and going to look over his shoulder.

"Some family tree project for school," Jamie replies, sounding somewhat weary of the assignment in question. "Luckily I'm all done with the actual research part...that was taking forever. Now all I have to do is put everything together on a poster and present it in a couple days."

"Huh...interesting." I comment, watching as he starts sketching out the basic structure of the family tree. "So...as boring as researching sounds...did you learn anything cool?"

Jamie shrugs in response. "A couple things," he says. "For one, my family's apparently been in this town since like...before it was even called Burgess. I even found records going back to...the late 1600's, I think?"

Now this peaks my interest, seeing as this was around the time that I was alive in my human form. Maybe I knew one of Jamie and Sophie's ancestors? Or maybe I...no, no, I doubt it. That'd be too much of a coincidence, probably.

...never mind that. Moving on.

"You know..." I say slowly, leaning casually against my staff as my eyes roll towards the ceiling in thought. "I'm a little over 300 years old myself, and I was a human that lived in this town for 17 years before becoming a spirit."

At this, Jamie blinks in surprise and looks up at me. "Whoa, seriously?" he asks in awe. "Then...how did you end up as...you know, 'Jack Frost'?"

I hesitate. I...probably shouldn't be talking to a kid about how I fell to my watery grave beneath the ice of a lake that's only a few minutes away from here...just doesn't seem like a good idea. As such, instead of potentially scarring him a bit, I simply wave off the question and say, "Eh, that's a story for another time. First, I want to ask you something myself."

Jamie seems a little confused at the deflection, but luckily doesn't protest it. "Well...okay," he says, looking up at me. "What do you wanna know?"

"Could you maybe...tell me the names of your relatives from that time period?" I inquire. "I'd like to see if they were anyone I knew...and maybe if they were, I could tell you a bit about them?"

"Oh, okay!" Jamie replies with a grin. "Let's see..." He begins sifting through the small stack of paper circles, which I can now see show images of various people, at least up to a certain point. Eventually, they just begin showing generic male and female silhouettes, presumably due to the fact that they're meant to represent people from before the time when cameras were invented. A few even simply have question marks on them, serving as placeholders for unknown family members.

"Ah, here we go," the kid says eventually, removing five circles—two male silhouettes, two female silhouettes, and one question mark—from the stack.

When I see the names written on the papers, my heart nearly stops.

Jamie, however, doesn't seem to notice my stunned expression, and begins laying out the circles in front of him. "Couldn't find anything on my...uh...however-many-greats grandfather," he says, gesturing at the question mark circle. "But I did find stuff on his wife and her family! We've got...Benjamin Overland, Sarah Overland, Olivia Overland, and...Jackson Overland."

...oh.

My.

God.

For the uninformed...that's me. Jackson Overland. That was my human name...and Olivia...Livi, as I always called her...she was my sister. And Benjamin and Sarah were our parents...

...Jamie and Sophie are my sister's descendants. Which means...which means I'm their...uh...however-many-greats uncle!

...dear God I was not prepared for this kind of revelation today.

Meanwhile, Jamie is still talking. "This is actually the other cool thing I was gonna mention," he says with a grin. "I never thought I'd be related to the Overlands in the legend..."

This, thankfully, snaps me out of my overwhelming shock, and I'm able to move and speak again. As such, I glance at him and ask slowly, "The...legend?"

Jamie nods. "You know, the one about Overland lake! The one a few minutes away from here?"

...I can honestly say I've never actually heard anyone refer to that place as "Overland Lake." Or...wait, actually, I don't know. Maybe I have, but it just hasn't clicked until now...

Either way, I just nod and let Jamie move on.

"Well," he continues. "Apparently, centuries ago, the Overland kids went skating on the lake when it was frozen, not realizing that the ice was a little too thin. People tell the story in a bunch of different ways, but...it always ends with the brother saving his sister's life, while he falls in and drowns."

...yep. Sounds about right. Oh boy...I guess I should've known my story would get told...I never expected it to be passed down this far through the generations, though...

"Legend has it," Jamie goes on. "The spirit of the brother still haunts the lake to this day, though...they say he's more like a guardian angel than a ghost, I guess. It's said that, to prevent others from suffering the same fate as him, he always makes sure the lake is kept...is kept..." Suddenly, his eyes widen as all the pieces click into place. He looks up at me, stunned.

"...is kept frozen," I finish for him with a slight grin. "And, uh...I don't know about 'angel,' but..." I wink. "I'd say 'Guardian' is a pretty apt term."

It is now that I can practically see Jamie's mind being blown.

With the same wonder and awe with which he first spoke to me the night he started believing, he exclaims, "You're Jackson Overland!? You're...you're him!? You're...we're related!?"

I laugh, unable to keep myself from smiling back. "Yes, yes, and yes!" I reply, matching his enthusiasm. "Wow...didn't think there was a whole legend in place about me!"

"There is!" Jamie confirms with a laugh. "You...wow...you're like, actually a hero! I mean I already knew that 'cause of last Easter, but...even as a human! You saved your sister! You..." Suddenly, he cuts himself off, eyebrows creasing as his expression sobers. A moment later, he says more quietly, "...you died..."

I sigh and give a sad smile. Guess there's no hiding anything now. "Yeah...that's, uh...actually how I became Jack Frost," I tell him softly. "I drowned in that lake...and the Man in the Moon brought me back as...well, as me. It...makes for a sad story, I guess, but...don't worry about it. I'm actually kind of okay with it."

"You are...?" Jamie asks hesitantly.

I smile and nod. "Yeah. Sure, I died, but...my sister didn't. And if she had, you and Sophie wouldn't be here...and even if both of us had survived, I still would never have met you two and the Guardians. So...yeah. I'm okay with how things turned out."

Believe it or not, it's actually not really a lie. Sure, I wish that my 300 years of solitude had gone differently, of course, but...at least the ultimate outcome is something I can be content with.

After all...even after everything I've been through, I can now say that I'm no longer alone. I found friends in my believers...and family in the Guardians, and now Jamie and Sophie.

All things considered...things didn't turn out so bad in the end.

To convince Jamie of this, I flash a genuine smile, which he soon returns. "Well...okay," he says. Then, he laughs. "Wow, this is just...this is just so cool! You're our uncle!"

I give a laugh in return and reply, "Yeah! It's definitely cool!"

"I gotta go tell Soph! And then all my friends!" Jamie starts to jump up from his chair, but I hold a hand out to stop him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I say, feigning seriousness. "You're not going anywhere yet, kid."

He blinks in confusion. "Uh...why not?"

I smirk and gesture at the poster board. "No fanboying until your homework is finished, young man," I tease, to which he gives an exaggerated groan.

"Oh, come on!" he protests, crossing his arms. "I thought you were supposed to be the Guardian of Fun..."

To this, I give a sly grin. "Hey...I'm just trying to be a responsible uncle here."

Jamie rolls his eyes and sits down. "Not funny..." he grumbles, though I can see the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Nah...it's pretty funny," I reply with a chuckle.

As Jamie starts working on his project again, I lean back and smile. Damn...who would've thought that I'd turn out to be related to two of my first believers?

Heh...funny how these things work out.

* * *

 **I know the family tree thing is a little overdone, but...I couldn't resist giving my own version a shot. :) Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you think, or maybe even something you'd like to see in the future! See you guys next time!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	27. Alcohol and Winter Spirits Don't Mix

**Gahhh, I'm so sorry about being so late, guys! Between my 18th birthday, Easter, college registration, friends' parties, and teachers trying to fit in as many projects as they can before the end of the year, I've had like NO time to write up until now. I hope you'll forgive my lateness :( As an apology, today's update is a double one, including this chapter and the Easter special I missed! Also, I know that this isn't the day I usually update this story, but I wasn't finished everything yesterday, and I wasn't going to make you guys wait _another_ week for this. We'll get started in just a second, but first, reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to PuertoRicanBelle (Thank you so much, glad you liked how I wrote it! :), Loftcat27, Demi clayton, and NinjaDimensions88 (I'll admit, that is one of my favorite lines I've written XD And don't worry, there's more now!) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the two chapters!**

* * *

 _ **~ Alcohol and Winter Spirits Don't Mix ~**_

Um...so this a little awkward.

Here I was, all ready to tell you guys another little amusing story (pretty much just at my own expense at this point), when I suddenly realized...I can't. I physically cannot tell this story.

Mostly because I don't remember most of what happened.

And...well, let's just say there's a pretty good reason for that. But don't panic! Don't fret! It just so happens I've prepared for this situation!

Against my better judgement...I've decided to bring in a special guest narrator for this particular story! It's honestly a horrible idea, because he'll probably go out of his way to embarrass me as much as possible, but I'm gonna allow it anyway, because I'm intelligent like that.

Now, Jack Frost proudly presents...the one and only Easter Kangaroo! He'll tell you what happened.

...hopefully accurately.

 **()()()()**

Ugh...of course Frostbite's gotta take a jab at me before I even start talkin'. Little winter brat.

Anyway...hey there, mates. E. Aster Bunnymund, at your service. The day before Easter. Tellin' ya a story instead of makin' preparations.

...that kid had better appreciate this.

Alright, now, Frostbite tells me that he usually gives ya a bit of exposition and such before startin' the actual story, so I'll give that a shot right about now. I'll warn ya though, I ain't much of a storyteller, so just bear with me for now.

So, I'm sure yer all familiar with North's elves, yeah? Jingly little nuisances with about eight brain cells between them?

Yeah, them.

Well, despite bein' dumb as rocks, they're incredibly good at spreadin' mischief, even more so than Frostbite himself. As least the kid's got enough sense in him ta know when ta stop. The elves, clearly, do not.

Now listen, first rule of the North Pole: Never trust food or drink given ta ya by an elf. The cookies are probably coated in spit, and the eggnog is usually...well, let's just say it ain't a concoction meant for kids. North doesn't seem to mind, of course, but the rest of us quickly learned ta only accept edible stuff from a yeti.

All of us...except Jack.

The kid's been with us for only about a year now, so there's still some things he hasn't learned yet. Luckily for him, he doesn't seem ta eat much anyway, so he hasn't fallen into the cookie trap yet, but...a little while before our latest Guardian meetin', a couple of elves happened ta offer him a drink, which he accepted and drank, probably just ta be nice ta them for once in his life.

...as it turns out, them bein' the little mischief makers that they are...they gave him some of North's alcohol, disguised as regular eggnog.

Didn't take many cups of the stuff ta get the little winter lightweight drunk off his arse, either.

Allow me ta set the scene. I hop into the Globe Room at the Pole, already annoyed after nearly freezin' my bloody tail off outside, when I come across a certain icy annoyance just...lyin' on the floor, gigglin'.

...I always knew the kid was crazy, but this is pushin' it.

So after starin' for a moment, I decide ta see what the hell's gotten into him. I head on over, sayin' dully, "Frostbite. What are ya doin' down there?"

At this, Jack gets a huge, goofy grin on his face. "Heyyyyy, Bunnyyyy!" he slurs, floppin' his arm around in some sorta drunken wave. "Whoa...youuu ever notice you'rrrre like...reeeeeally tallll?"

Can't say I'd been expectin' this. But somehow, it's no longer surprisin'.

"Er...crikey, mate, are ya drunk?" I ask, starin' down at him. His face is flushed and his eyes unfocused. Considerin' all that combined with the slurrin' and unsteady movements...

...yep. The kid's drunk.

Jack, however, has other ideas. "Noooo..." he says, shakin' his head with a slight giggle. "I'm juuuust happy! Feel all...chillllll..."

Ah, so Frostbite's a happy drunk. Good ta know.

"Geeeeet it...? Chill? 'Cause I'mmm...Jaaaack Frost!" He then dissolves into giggles once again.

...ugh. Time ta take care of this as quick as possible. Preferably before the kid thinks up more terrible ice puns.

"Alright, Frostbite," I say, leanin' down and grabbing his arm ta pull him ta his feet. "Time ta get ya ta bed. Yer probably gonna have a hell of a hangover later, so might as well start restin' while ya can."

"Noooo..." Jack whines, almost immediately pullin' away from me. "I wanna...dooo somethin' fun!"

"Too bad," I say dully. "Yer comin' with me and goin' ta bed so ya can sleep this off. Got it?"

"Noooo!" he repeats, pouting. "Gonna gooo...sledding instead! Byyyye!" With that, he tries ta dash away, not realizin' that I've still got a grip on his arm.

"No sleddin' drunk," I tell him sharply. "Only restin'. Now come on." Since I know he's never gonna follow me on his own, I pick him up and sling him over my shoulder, then start ta head in the direction of the kid's room.

Bad plan.

Almost immediately, there's a flash of blue light above me, then my hearin' goes muffled and my ears start ta feel much, MUCH colder than they should.

Yep. The bloody brat froze my ears together.

"Oi!" I shout angrily as the kid scrambles in my grip, tryin' ta escape. "Ya'd better unfreeze 'em right now, or I'm pitchin' ya out the window!"

"Fiiiight me, Bunny Man!" is all Frostbite wails as he continued tryin' ta pull away. "Bet youuuu won't!"

Much more of this and I might just follow up on my threat.

Thankfully, I'm soon rescued from havin' ta deal with drunk Jack any longer by Phil the yeti startin' ta walk by, then immediately stoppin' ta look at Jack's embarrassin' display. Surely he'd have an easier time wranglin' Frostbite than me. Yetis don't mind the cold and are incredibly strong, so...best if I hand the kid over ta one of them.

"Little help here, mate?" I ask dully, doin' my best ta keep the icy idiot still. "Kid got ahold of some alcohol and apparently isn't great at holdin' it well. Mind takin' him ta bed for me while I go thaw my ears out?"

Though it's done with an exasperated sigh, it doesn't take long for the yeti ta agree. Thank God...I was just about ready ta just let the kid roam the workshop and get the hell outta there myself. Guess I would've felt guilty if he got hurt afterwards though...not ta mention I'd have an angry North, Tooth, and Sandy on my tail for a while as well.

Now, last I saw of the kid that day, he was bein' dragged off ta bed by Phil, yellin' somethin' about how the yeti's "not his real mom" and how he "doesn't want ta go ta bread." Then, of course, once he'd sobered up, he sheepishly came up ta me, apologized for freezin' my ears together (not gonna lie, the apology was surprisin') and asked me ta tell ya the story.

And the rest is history.

As much as I enjoyed spreadin' blackmail about Frostbite, that's where I'm gonna have ta leave things off, mates. Story's over. Hope ya enjoyed, now...handin' it back ta Jack.

 **()()()()**

...okay, Jack here again. So, uh...I've learned two lessons here today.

One: Never trust anything involving elves, ESPECIALLY drinks.

Two: ...never let Bunny narrate.

* * *

 **It was...weird, writing from Bunny's perspective instead of Jack's, heh. Apologies for the probably-painful-to-read Australian accent XD Anywho, hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you in just a second for the next chapter!**

 **Very briefly, Sapphire316, out.**


	28. New Beginnings

**If you haven't read the previous chapter, go back! This is a double update!**

 **No reviews in the last two seconds, obviously, but I do have a brief announcement! Since my reservoir of ideas for this fic is starting to run dry, for the time being, I'm going to be accepting requests! The only rules are as follows: No pairings, no AUs, has to center around Jack (preferably from Jack's POV), and must not include any of your own OCs (don't feel comfortable writing for characters I'm not familiar with. But you can request my OCs to be in there!). Other than that, request away! I won't promise I'll fill every request, because sometimes the inspiration might just not come, but I'll certainly do my best, so if you have something you've been wanting to see, leave a review detailing it and I'll see what I can do!**

 **That being said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ New Beginnings ~**_

Ah, Easter.

The time of year which holds some of the best and worst memories I've ever experienced. Although, now that I think about it, it's...mostly the worst. Sure, I did become a Guardian and gain my first believers last Easter...

...but the Blizzard of '68 and Pitch's almost-takeover also come to mind. And considering the fact that the second thing just happened last year...

...damn. I really need to make things up to Bunny...

I did sort of single-handedly ruin his entire holiday for the second time...God, if only I hadn't been so goddamn stupid. I should've stayed with the others and fought alongside them...instead, I was off selfishly chasing my memories, putting Baby Tooth in danger, and practically dooming all the children of the world to an existence plagued by fear and darkness.

I don't blame Bunny for almost punching me right in the face.

But this year...this year I'm gonna do better. I swear it. I know the last thing Bunny would want is for me to get involved in his holiday at all, but I don't plan on making any mischief this time. Whether he wants it or not, I'm gonna do my best to help him out.

...he'll probably never stop teasing me about how stubborn Jack Frost finally got off his high horse and did something useful for a change, but...at least mocking praise is better than a fist in the face, right?

Yeah. Definitely.

Anyway, the first part of my plan is easy. All I need to do is ensure that there are no major blizzards today in any area where Easter is celebrated, and considering the fact that I'm literally the one whose job it is to decide that (orders from Mother Nature aside, of course), it's the simplest thing I have to do.

The second part is the harder one. I doubt Bunny's gonna want me anywhere near his Easter preparations because of what happened last year, and I don't blame him. However, what I want to do is help him paint some eggs. Sure, he's got those flowers that kind of automatically spray eggs with paint for more generic designs, but he also greatly enjoys setting out plenty of special, hand-painted ones as well. The only problem with that is that he's only got so much time to work on them, so he often either has to rush the ones he does hand-paint, or not get to paint as many.

It's not much, but...I'd like to help him get some more done. It's the least I could do.

So now here's why that's the harder part of the plan: I have to get into the Warren, get some eggs and some paint, then get out before Bunny notices. I don't want him to find out in case he wants to stop me, but I also sort of want it to be a surprise, you know? So...I've gotta go into stealth mode.

However, Bunny seems to have a sort of sixth sense used for telling when I'm in the Warren screwing things up (as well as the regular senses he uses to track me down), so I need to be quick and quiet about it. Over the years, I've gotten pretty good at sneaking around to avoid conflict, so hopefully that skill is enough...otherwise I don't know what I'm gonna do.

I enter the Warren as quietly as I can to avoid alerting Bunny's egg golems to my presence. They're another issue...there's always the chance that they could see me and kick me out themselves, and they've all literally got eyes in the backs of their heads.

Luckily, though, what they don't have are necks. They can't look directly above them without falling right over, so if I encounter one, I should be able to just float right over it.

Thankfully, the first part of my infiltration goes relatively smoothly. As though participating in an Easter egg hunt of my own, I scour a small part of the Warren for eggs and manage to collect a pretty sizable amount of them in a small sack I borrowed from North without much trouble. As such, I'm able to leave, hide the bag in a hollow tree by my lake, and return to the Warren to get the paint.

Here's where things get difficult. I don't actually know where Bunny stores his paint. What I do know is that right now, he's currently sitting in a clearing, painting some eggs himself, surrounded by several jars of paint.

The good news is that I know this.

The bad news is that I now have to get ahold of a jar or two without him noticing.

The second bit of good news is that I have a plan.

I silently skirt the outside edge of the clearing, careful not to make a sound, and to hold back my naturally cold aura as much as physically possible. Bunny's senses are sharp...I have to do everything I can to avoid detection.

A few times, I notice his ear twitch as though listening for something, which is my cue to stop in my tracks and hold my breath until he resumes painting. I'm also lucky that I'm friends with the Wind...it's been consistently keeping me downwind as I move so the rabbit doesn't get the chance to pick up my scent.

Finally, I get to the point where I'm positioned almost directly behind Bunny, though still a significant away from him. Still without a sound, I form a snowball in my hand, then lob it as hard as I can into the bushes to Bunny's far left.

His ears immediately perk up at the sound and, though he's facing away from me, I can imagine that there's a scowl on his face as he gets up, mumbling, "That'd better not be Frostbite…" With that, he puts his paintbrush down and hops away, chasing after the decoy.

Which gives me the chance to make my move.

I don't have much time to grab materials, because I doubt Bunny will be fooled by my distraction for long. However, I manage to grab two brushes and a few jars of silver, white, and a couple shades of blue paint. After all, the covert stuff only applies to the pre-painting part of the plan. Might as well make it clear who painted these based on the color scheme and patterns once I'm done.

With the stolen goods in hand, I quickly exit the Warren before Bunny comes back, escaping to my lake and retrieving the eggs from their hiding spot. "Time to paint…" I mumble as I set everything out in front of me.

I reach into the bag and pull out of the eggs, which...still has legs. Come to think of it, I'm not really sure what makes them, uh...stop having legs eventually (breaking them off seems a bit too dark for Bunny's standards).

So, taking a chance, I say, "I'm, um...going to paint you myself, okay? No need to walk anywhere."

Not missing a beat, the egg's legs seemingly retract into the rest of its body.

...weird.

Anyway...without further ado, I begin painting. I consider myself a pretty decent artist, actually...I mean, I had a lot of free time throughout my three centuries of isolation, and art was one of the hobbies I actually picked up. I think I'm better at drawing than painting, but right now, I'm only painting abstract designs quite similar to the frost I already form and shape, so it doesn't come out too badly.

Several long hours later, all of the eggs are painted and dry. I know that they're a little more winter-themed than Bunny usually prefers, but like I said, I want him to know that it's me doing this as a sort of apology for last year. I just hope he accepts it…

Nothing left to do now but sneak the eggs back into his Warren and wait for him to find them.

 **()()()()**

I don't have to wait long. In no time at all, a hole opens up in the ground in front of me and Bunny hops right out, clearly looking for me. As we lock eyes, there's a long silence.

Finally, Bunny's the first to break it. "Yer a surprisingly good artist, mate," he says, one eyebrow raised.

I blink. "Oh, uh...thank you," I reply awkwardly. "I just, uh...wanted to help out...to make things up to you, I guess."

Bunny frowns. "After last year, ya mean," he says. It's not a question.

I silently nod.

He too is silent for a bit. Then, finally, he heaves a sigh. "Well, kid," he begins, crossing his arms. "As much as I appreciate the help, I'm afraid it ain't enough ta get ya off the hook."

My heart sinks. "What do you—?"

"How can I know yer really sorry unless ya help me hide the eggs too?"

...wait.

What?

Is he...really asking what I think he's asking?

...is he letting me help out with Easter itself? Not just the preparations?

...oh my God I think I just made history with this.

When I finally get over the shock of his words, I clear my throat and hastily say, "Right, right, of course...I need to do more to prove that I really am sorry for what happened."

"Now yer gettin' it, Frostbite," Bunny says with an approving nod. "Now, I don't wanna hear any complainin' from ya, got it? Ya got yerself into this, yer seein' it through."

I nod firmly. "Right. I won't let you down."

And I mean it. Despite what happened with Pitch last year, it...really seems like Bunny's willing to forgive me for it all. As such, I'd better do whatever I can to not screw this up...now that I've started earning his trust, I'm not about to break it.

You know, it's funny...Bunny used to be one of the people that didn't treat me well at all during the three centuries I spent alone. Like others, he hated me from just about the moment he met me. But now…it seems like we're well on the road to actually getting along. Before last Easter, I honestly never would have guessed as much.

Guess he's right...Easter really is about new beginnings.

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed the double update! I'll certainly try to keep up with things better in the future. Might even restore the weekly update schedule once school's out for the summer, who knows? Either way, please don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think, or if you have a request! I'll see you guys in the next one!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	29. Repose

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Before we do anything else, let's take care of reviews, shall we?**

 **Thanks so much to Vampire Ronin (Thank you, I'm glad you like it! Though I should inform you that Rise of the Guardians Wiki, as well as every piece of literature related to ROTG that I've seen, canon or otherwise [AUs excluded] has explicitly referred to Jack as a winter spirit, and more specifically the Spirit of Winter. Thus, this is his widely accepted species and title. In addition, everyone's interpretation of what being a spirit entails is different, especially within this fandom, and, as such, this story centers around mine), PuertoRicanBelle (Thank you! I did certainly have fun with it XD), Arbuzowaqueen, Loftcat27, and Demi Clayton! Wow...we've officially surpassed 100 reviews! Thank you so much, all of you! :D**

 **That being said...chapter time! This one's a request from WinterCrystal 1009 over on ROTG Amino! Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to leave a request of your own if there's something you want to see! Just refer to the request rules in the previous chapter. :)**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Repose ~**_

The recommended amount of sleep for humans each night is usually somewhere around eight, nine, or even ten hours. Since spirits are immortal, our energy lasts for far longer so that we don't need to sleep every night, but we should still be getting around twelve or thirteen consecutive hours every four or five days. Some can stay awake for about a week at a time, but usually need an extra hour or so of sleep in between to make up for it.

We Guardians aren't the best at following that specific sleep schedule.

First, there's North, who admittedly usually follows the proper sleep schedule, but during the busy season around Christmas, tends to forget to sleep so often that it's not uncommon to find him snoring at his worktable in his office.

Then, there's Bunny, who basically survives off of power naps, only sleeping for an extended period of time about two weeks before Easter, then not sleeping at all until the holiday's over, then literally crashing and entering what's practically a three-day coma afterwards to recover.

Tooth...I'm actually not sure when she sleeps. Like...I'm pretty sure caffeine runs through her veins instead of blood. I don't think I've ever seen her look tired, save for when dreamsand is involved.

And speaking of dreamsand, I think we all know Sandy's philosophy with sleep: do it. Like...all the time. I guess it comes as a side effect of literally being made of dreamsand, but, uh...damn, the guy can sleep.

And...then there's me.

Truthfully, I don't sleep much. And by that, I mean that I generally go about three weeks without sleeping, then spend the fourth week stumbling my way to a decent amount of rest through nightmares and misery.

...the circles under my eyes aren't just for show, guys.

This all started due to my unfortunate penchant for being frequently attacked. Unless I fled to the Arctic and found a polar bear den to hide out in (I've found that animals that live in cold weather tend to be very affectionate towards me...and yes, bears are as huggable as they look. Just...don't try to hug a wild polar bear unless you're a winter spirit. Trust me. It won't end well), I couldn't really get much rest without having to worry about being murdered in my sleep. Thankfully, the Wind was always there for me whenever I needed to stop to take a nap in a random tree somewhere, but either way...I was never able to sleep much.

Thus...this pathetic excuse for a sleep schedule was born, and has stuck with me ever since. Only now it's a bit different...I don't have to worry about being attacked as long as I stay in my room at the Pole, but...I can't exactly hide away from my own mind.

You see, I've...sort of been having frequent nightmares ever since I became a Guardian. Not because of Pitch, thankfully, but...natural nightmares are still a thing. Every time I close my eyes, it's either cracking ice, water filling my lungs, my sister screaming, people walking right through me, the other Guardians abandoning me, everything I've gained being torn away from me before my eyes...or the worst: waking up and realizing that everything related to becoming a Guardian had all been just a dream.

I always end up waking up with tears pouring down my face after that one.

And I know what you're thinking...I should just use the dreamsand Sandy gave me, right? That'd fix everything, right? Right?

Well...yeah, I suppose it would. But...I don't know. I know it's irrational to think like this, but...we've learned that Pitch can corrupt dreamsand, yeah…? Who's to say it'd even work all the time? Plus, why should I have to rely on that when I can just...I don't know, try to get better myself?

...ah, who am I kidding? Here's the real reason...I don't want to admit to the others that I need help.

I know it's stupid, especially after Sandy saw me having a nightmare, gave me the dreamsand pouch, then watched me cry in his arms...and I'm sure he knows how little I've been sleeping. I have my suspicions that he even sends a strand of dreamsand after me some nights once I haven't rested for a while. Granted, I'm glad that he's been keeping everything covert, but...I don't know, I guess I just feel like finally admitting to everything would basically be giving permission to tell the others, and...I don't know how well I could deal with that.

They worry about me too much...and as much as I appreciate the care, it just feels...too weird. A little over a year ago, most of them wouldn't have batted an eye in my direction. Now, they're hellbent on becoming family...I guess in some ways, it's working, but I don't think I'm ready to accept it all at once...one step at a time, you know?

Anyway, I digress...the real point of that whole tirade is to set up for the situation I'm in currently. You see, since I go for longer-than-recommended amounts of time without sleeping, I...sort of have a bad habit of...well...kind of just passing out wherever without even meaning to. And since I look an awful lot like a corpse (mostly because I am one)...you can kind of imagine how alarming it would look to see me randomly sprawled out face-down in the middle of a hallway in the North Pole.

...which is what happened.

Or so I'm told.

I don't actually remember much of what actually happened. All I know is that, at present, I'm currently lying in a bed in the Pole's infirmary with four worried Guardians crowded around me, anxiously asking what happened.

I seem to get myself in situations like this one a lot, don't I?

Although this time, there's not much to worry about. I start to sit up to tell them as much (though admittedly I struggle a bit due to fatigue), but I only get out a vague "Guys, I'm fi-" before I notice Sandy's expression.

...he may be small, but he can give one hell of a death glare.

Okay, so...I'm betting that he knows exactly what happened. Guess I was right to assume that he's been keeping an eye on my sleeping patterns...or, you know, lack thereof. And...now he's pissed, because it's obviously not very good for me.

Great.

"With all due respect, mate," Bunny interjects before I can say more, not sounding at all like he's granting me any respect whatsoever, let alone all that's due. "North found ya unconscious, layin' on the floor in a random hallway, lookin' like ya'd just laid down and died. Damn well nearly had a heart attack too, from the sound of it. There's no way in hell yer 'fine.'"

Tooth nervously nods, quick to agree. "Bunny's right, Jack…" she says softly. "That's not something that just happens...you can tell us what's wrong, you know…"

My solution? Look away and pretend I don't notice Sandy glaring at me.

"Nothing's wrong…" I mumble tiredly. "And, as a matter of fact...it _is_ something that just happens. At least, for me it is...look, by my standards it's normal, so please...don't worry about me."

North blinks in surprise. "Normal?" he repeats, clearly stunned. "Passing out is...normal for you?"

"Crikey, mate, do ya have some sort of medical condition we don't know about?" Bunny asks, staring at me.

"Narcolepsy, maybe?" Tooth suggests worriedly. "Or something to do with low blood sugar…?"

Narcolepsy? Hah. Quite the opposite, actually...this is more of a self-enforced insomnia situation.

...God I'm a mess.

"No, it's nothing like that," I say, quickly trying to come up with some sort of excuse that won't earn me a lecture and about thirty times more worry than before. "I just-"

Suddenly, before I can say anything else, Sandy jumps up onto the foot of my bed, glares at me one more time, then faces the others. Above his head, he forms a snowflake next to few Z's made of dreamsand, then creates a golden X to cross everything out.

Which...pretty obviously translates to "Guess what, guys? Jack doesn't sleep!"

It takes them all a second, but they soon get the message, and, as I expected, are on my case in a split second.

"What the hell do ya mean, he doesn't sleep!?" Bunny exclaims, looking back and forth between Sandy and me.

"Jack, is that true!?" Tooth questions, eyes wide in shock.

"I-I sleep!" I protest. Then, I add in an embarrassed mumble, "Y-You know...every few weeks or so…"

"That is very unhealthy, Jack!" North reprimands sharply, though he looks just as stunned as the others. "No wonder rings around eyes are so dark...even spirits need to sleep more than that!"

...I really hate it when they do this...this "sequential yelling" thing. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't overwhelming...it's just...it's just too damn loud and overbearing. And right now, I'm way too tired to deal with this, so...I do the one thing I can think of.

I simply cover my ears like a kid until they notice.

It's Tooth who finds her sympathy first out of the three, which I've honestly come to expect. Her expression soon softens, then she quickly ushers both North and Bunny into silence. After that, she sits down on the side of the bed, waiting patiently for me to uncover my ears and look up at her.

"Jack…" she says softly. "I'm sorry if we scared you, but...it's true...you really should sleep more…"

"I...I can't…" I say lamely, reluctant to provide an explanation. "I just...can't…"

"Of course ya can," Bunny puts in, one eyebrow raised. "Just get Sandy ta drop some dreamsand on ya and call it a day."

"That's not what I mean…" I mumble, averting my eyes.

"Then what do you mean…?" Tooth asks quietly, gently putting her hand on my shoulder. "Please, Jack...if you tell us, then we can help you…"

Though that's just it, isn't it? Them helping me is exactly the problem.

But how am I supposed to tell them that?

Eventually, I settle for the vaguest answer I can possibly come up with that's still technically true. "I'm just...nervous, I guess…" I tell them, awkwardly fiddling with my sleeve. "I've followed that schedule for so long...I kind of kept getting attacked in my sleep a lot over the years, so...I couldn't sleep for long periods of time very often. I went without sleep a quite a bit, so...it's become normal for me to just crash. I know it's not good...but I'm so used to it that I guess I'm just reluctant to break the habit…"

I didn't exactly lie. There is plenty of truth in what I said...I just don't tell them about the nightmares, or about how anxious I am about fully accepting their help, or about how I'm terrified that if I go to sleep, I'll somehow wake up back in the past, alone and invisible once again.

I don't think I can really trust them with all that yet.

"Oh, Jack…" Tooth murmurs, squeezing my shoulder gently. "I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry for what…?" I ask quietly, still not quite meeting any of their eyes.

"For not being there for you then…" North says sadly. "You should not have had to live like that…"

Without looking up, I shrug. "While I appreciate the sentiment...it's a little late for that."

The room falls silent.

Surprisingly, Bunny is the first to break it. "Well, guess it's time ta make up for all that now, Frostbite," he says firmly, arms crossed. "We're gonna help ya get back on track with restin'."

At this, I finally look up, eyebrows raised. "You...are?" I ask confusedly.

"Of course," the rabbit replies with a shrug. "Look, kid, I know it ain't easy ta break bad habits, especially when it comes ta sleepin'. However...we're lucky in the sense that we've got Sandy."

At this, the golden man in question finally drops the glare, now grinning and nodding in my direction.

"Bunny is right!" North adds enthusiastically. "Dreamsand is like...sleeping medicine, but without risk of bad side effects. You can stay here at Pole where you will be safe, and Sandy will help you get back on appropriate sleep schedule."

At this point, I'm not sure what to say, so all that I manage is a startled, "B-But...my job-"

"We won't hold you captive in here, Jack," Tooth tells me with a slight smile. "You can still get your job done along with getting enough rest. And like North said...Sandy will help you along the way, as well as the rest of us. Don't worry...you'll start to feel better in no time."

...damn it. Why is it that every time I don't want these four to find out about something, and then they find out about the thing, I just...physically can't be mad at them for it? I guess their sudden naive willingness to help is endearing...and, if I'm being honest, it is sort of touching…

Truth be told, I am sick of being so tired all the time...maybe it couldn't hurt to let them help a little. I already feeling myself fading fast as Sandy approaches, I nod and whisper softly, "Okay...let's do it, then…"

That's the last thing I remember before the warm, sleepy comfort of dreamsand enfolds me, lulling me to sleep and finally, _finally_ letting me get some rest.

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed! If you have a request, just drop a review and tell me what you want to see! I'll see you guys next time!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	30. New Resolve

**Hey, guys! Good news! I'm officially done with high school forever, meaning that I'm free for the summer, and that I'm going to try to resume my previous weekly update schedule! Woo! With that being said, let's get to the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to WinterCrystal1009 (I know, you just requested it on the Amino, so...yeah XD And we'll see!) and Demi clayton for reviewing! Don't forget, if you'd like to make a request, just leave one in the reviews! No pairings, AUs, or OCs that aren't mine, but other than that, request away!**

 **Speaking of which, this chapter was requested by both Sandy and Milly on ROTG Amino!**

 **With that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ New Resolve ~**_

One thing I appreciate about being a Guardian is the newfound respect I've gained from all of the other spirits. While they used to attack me relentlessly, they now hold back, allowing me to live my life in peace like actually decent people would. Yep, they acknowledge my new position and the suffering I had to go through to get here, and they've finally decided to stop hurting and insulting me for things I can't control, and just leave me alone.

...if you couldn't tell, I'm being sarcastic. They still hate my guts.

Yeah, becoming a Guardian didn't really change anything in regards to my status within the rest of the spirit community. Sure, North, Tooth, Sandy, and even Bunny like me now, but, as you may have gathered from a certain previous story I've told, not many others really share that sentiment. The attacks have lessened in frequency, but I still find myself dragged into a fight about every other week or so; once a month, if I'm lucky.

And of course, the most frequent assailants are Cerelia Blossom, Eliana Burns, and Silas Maple. My three _faaaaavorite_ people in the whole wide world.

You guessed it, more sarcasm.

Truth be told, I don't even really know why these three are so ruthless...like yeah, I get that they've made themselves my rivals because they're on my level as heads of their respective seasons, and there's the whole "winter = evil" philosophy everyone's got for some reason, but...I don't exactly get why they feel the need to injure me on such a regular basis. And I say "injure" for a reason; no matter how much I might wryly refer to their attacks as them trying to kill me, the fact of the matter is that none of them have ever gone in for a killing blow. Not even Eliana, who could probably end me in an instant with her flames, has even attempted to do so.

For some reason, even though it feels like they strive to keep me incapacitated, they have no interest in killing me.

...maybe they just don't want to get in trouble with Mother Nature. I dunno.

Either way, despite the fact that they don't come after me quite as much (probably as a result of me not being constantly alone anymore), they still do sometimes manage to catch me off guard and do some damage.

...like right now.

Admittedly, I probably should have been more careful about flying through too many areas where it's currently spring...Burgess is really the only place that's not cold year-round where I get a free pass to be somewhere during the non-winter seasons, given the fact that it's practically home. Otherwise, the other three Seasonals are extremely territorial (only towards me, though...they don't mind each other's company). On a good day, they'll give me a warning before driving me off. On a bad day, however, they'll shoot on sight.

Guess what kind of day it was today.

The moment the thorned vine came out of nowhere, wrapped around my waist, and quite literally threw me all the way to the ground, I knew I was in trouble. I've kind of still been getting used to the new sleep schedule the other Guardians have imposed on me, and so I've been feeling more than a little bit sluggish from the lasting effects of all the dreamsand I've been hit with over the past week. I tell you...that stuff is strong.

As such, I haven't been able to put up as much of a fight as I would've liked. Sure, I wouldn't really have actively tried to injure them...that's not really my style. But I would've at least liked to have been able to dodge from the start rather than becoming little more than a punching bag for the duration of the attack.

As usual, after one of the Seasonals (this time, Cerelia) strikes the first blow, the other two soon join in. It's like they all meet up and decide, "Hey, let's go beat up Jack today!" Honestly wouldn't surprise me if they did.

Anyway, time for specifics: at this point, I'm blind in one eye thanks to Cerelia's goddamn blinding pollen, have sustained several small puncture wounds from her thorn-covered vine from before, am covered in small but painful cuts from Silas' razor-sharp leaves (seriously, does the guy know how to do anything else?), and, you guessed it, have several burn marks on my exposed skin thanks to my dear friend Eliana. Mix all that with the fact that I was already tired before this happened, and...yeah I'm not having a very good day.

Eventually, I kind of just decide to lay there like a ragdoll and let stuff happen. I know that they'll never put my life in danger or wound me permanently or anything, and I also know that there's no way I'll be able to escape in this condition, so there's no point in trying to struggle. Thus, I just...go limp.

Evidently, this is amusing to the three of them.

"Giving up already, Frost?" Cerelia asks smugly, sending a vine over to wrap around me and hold me up. "Having a bit of a rough day, are we?"

I shrug as much as I can with my currently limited range of motion. "Nah, it's fine," I mutter sarcastically. "These meetings are actually pretty fun. Me minding my own business, you guys attacking me for no reason, me ending up lying on the ground and in pain...good times." My voice is actually probably a bit shakier than I'd like to admit due to my injuries, but, uh...let's just ignore that, okay?

Eliana rolls her eyes. "Don't be a smartass," she scoffs. "You know better than to trespass on our seasons."

"That's funny," I deadpan. "You don't seem too concerned about avoiding trespassing on each other's seasons. Or mine, for that matter. You've attacked me during winter before too, you know."

"Please, you know winter is the only season that needs to be kept in check to this extent," Silas retorts, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Spring, summer, and autumn don't suffer when faced with a slightly warmer or slightly cooler day. Winter, on the other hand…" He scowls. "Winter would bring death to any one of our domains."

I'm tired, in pain, and, quite frankly, sick of this bull. I'm not in the mood to just play along with this today.

"Right," I reply, rolling my eyes. "And I've brought _so_ much death to this place right here. God, I think I even crushed a few blades of grass when I was thrown into them a few minutes ago. Forgive me for being so murderous."

"Cut the snark before I sear your mouth shut," Eliana practically growls, embers appearing in the air around her fingertips. She's always been the one with the most fiery temper...if you'll pardon the pun.

Once more, I just shrug. "Just saying. I haven't been doing anything wrong."

"Listen here, you little—!"

"Easy there, Ellie," Silas mumbles, putting a hand on her shoulder before she can shoot me in the face with a ball of fire. "We don't want to kill him."

Aw, how sweet.

"Very kind of you," I say dully in response. "Hey, by the way, what happened to you all sort of being on my side with the whole Old Man Winter thing? Like...you actually were rooting for me there for a minute, then once I won, went right back to hating me again. What's with that?"

Though I have been wondering about that for a while, I'm not entirely sure why I decided to ask about it now, and so casually too...guess I'm starting to get a little out of it from the fatigue, pain, and blood loss.

Either way, at the mention of Old Man Winter, each one of their expressions noticeably hardens. A short silence ensues, in which they exchange grim glances while I wait quietly for an answer.

It's Cerelia that finally breaks the silence. "That was different," she says stiffly, emerald eyes almost narrowed into mere slits. "That...that _demon_ has been a common enemy of ours for centuries. We briefly supported you because you were by far the lesser of two evils. Now that he is gone...nothing has changed between us."

Now, I give a scowl of my own. "But _why?_ " I press, visibly frustrated. It's a question I've asked many times before, but never really got a straight answer to. " _Why_ do things have to be like this? It's been three hundred years and I've never done anything to harm you! For the love of...I'm a _Guardian_ now! Why can't you just swallow your pride and admit you were wrong about me!? You can trust—!"

Suddenly, I'm cut off by a hard slap to the face courtesy of Cerelia. "No, Frost. We _can't_ trust you," she hisses, glaring at me. "We can't _ever_ trust you, and neither can anyone else."

"And why not?" I growl in response, lifting my head slightly to glare at her.

It takes her a moment to decide whether or not she should answer me. However, she finally opens her mouth to speak. "Because—"

Unfortunately, she never gets to finish, seeing as she immediately becomes preoccupied with dodging the boomerang that comes whirling out of the trees surrounding us, aimed right at her head. She yelps in surprise and ducks, staying low enough that the wooden weapon won't hit her on its return trip as well. Due to her distraction, however, her vine's grip on me loosens, and I topple to the ground with a...decidedly less-than-manly yelp of my own.

Eliana scowls, glaring at the spot where the boomerang originated from. "Damn it…" she mutters, glancing back at the other two Seasonals. "Bunnymund's here."

"Let's get out of here, then!" Silas insists, already beginning to take flight.

"Aw, come on, mate," comes an annoyingly familiar voice as an annoyingly familiar giant rabbit steps out into the open, caught boomerang in hand. "Why not stay awhile and explain what the _hell_ is goin' on here?"

...yeah he sounds mad.

"Head Seasonal business," Cerelia declares hotly as she straightens up, expression entirely unamused. "Which means that it's none of yours."

Bunny, however, doesn't give up. "Ya know, sheila," he says, arms crossed. "If a fellow Guardian's gettin' attacked...I'd say it very much _is_ my business."

"Oh, so you suddenly care because he's a _Guardian_ now…" the Spirit of Spring drawls with a roll of her eyes. "How touching. Either way, do not make the mistake of forcing your way into affairs that have nothing to do with you." She takes to the air as well to join her siblings, then, almost as an afterthought, calls back over her shoulder. "And I would advise being more careful about who you allow into your midst!" With that said, the three of them fly off before Bunny even gets a chance to react to Cerelia's words.

As I lie there on the ground, lacking the energy to get up on my own, I hear Bunny swear under his breath, then make his way over to me. Damn it...now I have to explain all this, don't I?

"Oi, Frostbite," Bunny says as he kneels down beside me, voice a bit softer than it had been previously. "Are ya alright…?"

No. Not really.

"Yes…" I mutter instead, trying to push myself up into a sitting position. I wince as all of my cuts and burns seem to sting at once, and I suddenly find myself almost falling backwards, at least until Bunny quickly puts a paw to my back to hold me up.

His expression is understandably skeptical. "Ya don't look alright," he says bluntly, one eyebrow raised. "Mind tellin' me why all the other Seasonals were beatin' ya up?"

"Wish I knew…" I mumble, shaking my head, then immediately regretting the action as I suddenly become severely dizzy. "U-Ugh...it's just...something they do, I guess...something about how winter just kills everything, and I'm a demon, blah, blah, blah…"

You used to tell me the same, I don't say.

Regardless, it's almost as though he hears the unspoken words. His expression softens and his ears lower until they touch the back of his head. "I...see," he grunts, avoiding meeting my eyes for a moment.

For a few seconds, we're both silent.

Eventually, I decide to be the first one to speak again. "So, um...how'd you find me…?"

"Stroke of luck," he replies, though his voice still holds a bit of solemnity. "Ya were late for another Guardian meeting...later than usual. The others sent me out ta look for ya...though I didn't feel like checkin' the Arctic. Just happened ta pick up yer scent here."

"Ah...gotcha…"

Another long silence.

This time, it's Bunny's turn to break it. "...I expect yer gonna try convincin' me not ta tell the others about this." It's not a question.

"...yeah."

"And not ta go after the Seasonals for any sort of revenge." Neither is this.

"I'd...rather you didn't do that, yeah…"

"So then...would ya mind explainin' why?"

I sigh slightly, looking away. "I just...don't want to start anything, I guess," I mumble, fiddling anxiously with my sleeve. "I think...I think you guys going after them would only make it worse. This is...something that I need to handle on my own. And I will handle it...I promise..."

I somewhat surprise myself in realizing that I'm not lying. I don't know what's changed, but somehow, I feel a greater sense of resolve when it comes to solving this problem that's plagued me for so long. I still refuse to fight them...but maybe I can get Cerelia to finish whatever she was going to say. Maybe I can finally know the true, definitive reason I've been targeted for so long, and maybe I can find a way to fix everything.

After all...I guess I finally have a reason to.

Bunny studies me for a long time, clearly indecisive. For a while, I get the suspicion that he's going to reject my request and tell the others everything, then lead a hunting party all across the world to track down and attack my fellow Seasonals.

As it turns out, however, he surprises me.

"Fine," he says with a short nod. I don't know how, but somehow, he seems to understand what's going through my head without having to hear me say it. "I'll give ya a chance ta try on yer own. But if this keeps happenin', I'm goin' ta the others, okay?"

"Alright…" I say, only briefly hesitating. "I...I can accept that."

"Good," he replies. "Now let's go get ya fixed up, okay?"

I nod slightly. As much as I hate to admit it, my wounds do usually heal better when properly tended to instead of just being frozen over until they don't bleed anymore. Imagine that.

"Oh, and kid?"

"Yeah…?"

"...if ya do ever need help, just...just say so, yeah? I know we haven't been there for ya in the past, but, er...we are now. So...don't just suck it up and deal with things on yer own all the time. Ya got us right beside ya, got it?"

It might be a bit of an awkward reassurance, obviously coming from someone unaccustomed to being heartfelt...but the sentiment is still there.

"...yeah," I say truthfully. "...got it."

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed! The Seasonals will be back! ;) In the meantime, drop a request in a review if you've got one, and I'll see you in the next one!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	31. Sick to the Stomach

**Hey, guys! I know this isn't my usual update day, but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer! I'm sorry I was late, I've just been super busy with a bunch of graduation parties, as well as graduation itself this past Saturday! Officially not a high school student anymore! I'm free!**

 **...at least until I start college, but that's beside the point. Anywho, now that I'm back, let's get to the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to PuertoRicanBelle (Gotta love brotherly Bunny and Jack moments :), Loftcat27 (I'm glad you like them!), linguaphile (Thank you! And you're right, I definitely need to give Tooth more of the spotlight. I've done so in this chapter, and will continue to do so in others, don't worry!), and Demi clayton (Regrettably, I don't think I can accept your request, due to it involving an OC that isn't mine, a pairing, and an AU. I'm really sorry about that! :( But if you'd like to request something else that does adhere to the aforementioned rules, I'd be happy to hear you out!) for reviewing!**

 **This was a request from My_prideful_rainbow over on ROTG Amino, and part of linguaphile's request for me to give Tooth some more screen time! Don't worry, I'll be sure to pay more attention to her in future chapters as well! And for the rest of you, don't forget! You can leave a request in the reviews so long as your idea doesn't contain an OC that isn't mine, a pairing, or an AU!**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Sick to the Stomach ~**_

Spirits, unlike humans and other mortal creatures, do not need to eat to stay alive. We're physically capable of eating, sure, and it provides us with extra energy (we get a bigger boost from food mostly because our bodies are capable of actually using what most human bodies turn into...uh...waste. Don't ask me how it works; magic is weird. But yeah...certainly lowers the usefulness of a bathroom by quite a bit for us), but we really don't _need_ to. I'm pretty sure we just need to drink water to stay healthy, and even then, I don't know if we can actually _die_ from dehydration.

...I'd rather not test that one, though.

But I digress. Back to the eating thing. So yeah, for spirits, eating isn't a necessity, but most do it occasionally for pleasure all the same. I mean, just look at North. The guy inhales cookies like they're oxygen (which is probably where he gets all that energy from, now that I think about it). He's the, uh...extreme, probably, but it's not uncommon for spirits to eat.

...though as you may have guessed, this is the part where I tell you about how I differ from this standard, like I do on so many other things, thus ostracizing me even further from the rest of the spirit world.

Yay.

This one, however, isn't actually my choice for once. I know it's surprising, considering my general penchant for self-destructive behavior, but the fact that I never really eat much legitimately isn't my fault.

Here's why.

You see, the thing about being immortal is that your overall physique is kinda...stuck in stasis. Granted, a spirit's appearance might be altered over long periods of time due to influence from belief, and some can shapeshift with their own magic or by drinking a potion or...whatever. But without magical influence, a spirit's physical bodily appearance will not change (I specify physical appearance because it is possible for one of us to make their muscles stronger by exercising, but they ultimately won't _look_ super built. It's why a lot of us seem weirdly stronger than we look).

Therein lies the problem. You see, because of this, I'm currently stuck in "malnourished colonial boy" mode, also referred to as "stick figure given life" mode. This means that my stomach literally can't handle large amounts of food at one time. And even though spirits don't use the traditional method of expelling bodily waste...we sure can throw up when even our bodies can't handle something.

Which is what's happening right now.

This is...kind of awkward for me to talk about, as well as gross, so I'll spare you most of the details, but...just know that I'm currently in my room at the Pole, curled up next to a, um...rather _full_ trash can, and overall just hating the world.

...fun times.

Here's what happened...you know how the other Guardians, North especially, keep trying to have us do all sorts of "family activities" together? Well, after the most recent Guardian meeting (which was admittedly kind of dull), North decided that we should try having like...a big family dinner or something. No one had any objections, so he had the yetis basically get a full buffet ready for us. Concerns were expressed about the sheer amount of food there was, but North assured us that the yetis and elves were free to take what they wanted as well. And thus, dinner began.

Now, let me preface this by saying that, aside from North, the other Guardians don't eat _too_ terribly much either, but they will consume a meal that's considered like...a normal amount of food. For them, much like many others, it's just second nature.

Which is apparently why they were so surprised when all I took was an apple, half a cup of pasta, and a glass of water.

Admittedly, I should have explained why I couldn't eat much more...but I guess I figured I could just appease them for once and I'd be fine. I wasn't even entirely sure that I wouldn't be able to stomach more, I just wasn't going to take any chances.

Unfortunately, however, with a bit of coaxing...I did take those chances. And lost. Badly.

I ended up taking more pasta (I've kinda been obsessed with pasta ever since Jamie let me try some a couple weeks ago...goddamn it's good), more fruit (stuff I'm familiar with due to essentially just living out in the wild for the past three hundred years), and a couple of cookies. It honestly wasn't too much by the average modern American's standards, but you have to remember...malnourished colonial boy speaking.

It could have been worse, I guess...despite the nausea persisting, I only actually vomited once...and I'm sure even the nausea will fade away soon enough. I don't want the others to see me and worry about me, though...no doubt they'll feel guilty about it too...all I have to do is hide out here until it's all ov-

"Jack? Are you in there...?"

...every damn time. _EVERY_ damn time.

It appears Tooth is the representative they've sent this time to make sure I'm okay...and God knows she'll just go full-blown mama bird on me the moment she sees me like this. Maybe if I stay completely silent, she'll think I'm either not here or asleep and go away…

"Jack…?"

Just...don't...make...a sound…

"Jack, please answer me…"

…

…

…

"...I'm coming in, okay…? If you don't want me to, all you have to do is say it…"

...damn it. Didn't work.

As the doorknob turns, I have just enough time to drag myself up onto my bed and pretend to be asleep before Tooth enters the room. Of course...I'm facedown. And not under any blankets. And have my legs hanging off the side of the bed. And overall just look kinda dead.

So yeah it's not really any surprise that she immediately realizes something's wrong.

"Jack…?" she asks softly, the sound of buzzing wings coming a bit closer to me. "Are you alright…? You ran off awfully quickly…"

...right, that's the part that I forgot to mention. Before the others had even finished eating, I excused myself and practically bolted from the room to come up here and throw up. It was kind of a close call, not gonna lie...but I felt it coming and just...really didn't want to be around the others when it happened.

That all happened about five minutes ago...needless to say, it didn't take them very long to start worrying about me. Damn it...seems like all I ever do is worry them, even when I'm doing everything in my power to _prevent_ that from happening. Guess I really am even more of a mess than I initially thought.

But enough lamenting for now...Tooth has just noticed the trash can I didn't have time to hide. Granted, my face is still pressed into my bed, but I'm assuming the sharp gasp that I just heard was because of that.

Just a theory.

"Oh my...Jack!" she exclaims worriedly. "What happened!?"

I give a sigh and, choosing to remain facedown, say in a tired, muffled voice, "Got sick…"

I'm still not looking at her, obviously, but I can practically sense her deadpan expression.

"I...can see that," she says dully. Then, her worried tone returns. "What I mean is, why…? Was it from an illness, or food poisoning, or…?"

Finally, I decide that it's time to face her at last so I can properly explain. Like with so many other things recently...no point in hiding anything now.

I shift as best as I can, this time managing to get my full body up onto my bed, and I lie down on my side, facing Tooth. Actually, I'm pretty sure lying on your side rather than in any other position does help a bit with nausea...perhaps this is for the best.

"None of the above…" I finally answer weakly. "I just...overestimated how much food I could handle at one time, I guess…"

Her brow immediately furrows in confusion. "But Jack, you...you didn't eat very much at all…" she points out, her frown deepening. "It shouldn't have been enough for you to get full enough to vomit from it…"

I shake my head slightly. "You forget…" I say quietly. "I'm pretty much a stick figure...I grew up in a really poor village, I wasn't used to eating very much even as a human…so, um...yeah...can't handle much…"

At this, her face softens and she lowers herself to the ground, then moves to sit on the edge of my bed. "Oh, Jack…" she says quietly. "I'm so sorry...we...we should've known better than to push you into eating more…"

"No, you...you didn't know…" I mumble, looking away. "You're fine...you don't need to worry about me, it's all good…"

Suddenly, I see something a bit more serious in her magenta eyes. "No, Jack," she says, her voice still gentle, but somehow also with a certain firmness to it. "It's not all good. None of this is…"

I look up at her in confusion. "What do you mean…?"

She sighs. "Jack...there's clearly quite a few communication problems between the rest of us and you."

...fair point.

"We don't know enough about you yet," she continues. "And so...we oftentimes end up treating you like we would any other child."

...also a fair point.

Tooth frowns. "And that's not right at all...instead of doing that, we need to start asking you questions. Start getting to know the real you, not just what we've seen or heard about. Jack...the fact of the matter is that we know embarrassingly little about what you've been through, and how you've lived your life up to this point...and so far, we haven't been trusting you enough to know how to take care of yourself, even when you've been doing it for three centuries...all four of us need to work to get better at that. I can't exactly speak for the others, but...I've recently realized that, having been thinking on it. We need to trust you more…"

I open my mouth to respond, but it seems that she isn't quite finished yet.

"But conversely…" she continues, giving me a meaningful look. "...you also need to trust us more." She shakes her head slightly. "I know it must be...difficult, to say the least...I know none of us really gave you the best first impression. And…" Tooth winces slightly. "Aside from Sandy, we...all haven't had much of a history of...well...treating you as well as you deserve to be treated…"

She's referring to Easter. I know she is. When she, North, and Bunny immediately turned their backs on me over a misunderstanding without allowing me a second of explanation.

...I'd be lying if I said I've completely forgiven them for that one.

"But...we want to make it up to you, Jack," she says quietly, pulling me back out of my dark thoughts. She takes my hand and squeezes it gently. "Don't think I didn't hear the excitement in your voice when you first found out that you had once had a home and a family...we want to be able to give that to you again. After all that you've suffered, you deserve it. We want to make you as comfortable here as we possibly can...but we can't do that if you close yourself off to us. It doesn't have to be all at once, but please...know that you can talk to us. If we ever unknowingly try to get you to do something that you're not comfortable with, or can't healthily do, like swimming or eating a large meal, you need to tell us...I know you don't want to worry us about these things, but the last thing we want is for you to get hurt for just trying to appease us…"

At this point, I'm somewhat convinced that I might start crying soon.

I didn't really realize it up until this point, but...I think all that was exactly what I've been waiting to hear. In truth, it _has_ been frustrating that the others seem to make assumptions about me, and then treat me as such. But as well as that...she's right when she says that I'm too closed off when it comes to those assumptions. I don't correct them until it's too late because I don't want to worry them...I don't want to come off as too clingy, or too needy, or as some kind of basket case.

I guess I was trying to play normal.

But...it's now clear that they're seeing through it. Maybe Tooth is right...maybe I do need to start trusting the other Guardians more...after all, I'm one of them now, and they've made it clear that they want to help me. Yes, most of them didn't exactly treat me all that well in the past...but they're obviously trying to make up for it all. Even Bunny has expressed regret over his past treatment of me, and we've been able to move on from that a bit. I suppose...I can try to let them help me adjust instead of struggling my way through life alone. At least a little bit, anyway.

"...you're right," I finally say softly, looking at her hand, which still holds mine. "About...about everything. I...thank you for acknowledging all that stuff, and…" I take a deep breath, then look up at her. "I...guess I can try being a little more open...I'm just...not used to it, is all…I get anxious...kind of sick to my stomach...you know what I mean..."

Tooth gently squeezes my hand once more. "I know, Jack…" she says sadly. "And...I wish we had been there for you before. You didn't deserve to be by yourself for so long...I know that we can't completely get rid of all that pain...but we'll do our best to give you a better life. One that you _do_ deserve." She smiles slightly. "All you need to do is tell us when we're doing it wrong...okay?"

Somehow, I manage a small smile of my own. "I'll try…" I say quietly. "...I promise."

"Good," she says, still smiling. "Don't worry about having to explain to the others what just happened, though...I'll tell them what you told me. You just get some rest for now, okay…? At least until you feel better…"

Neither I nor my stomach have any objections to this, so I give a slight nod. As such, Tooth stands up and helps me get under the blankets, then slides the trash can closer to the bed so I can reach it if I end up needing it again. I curl up on my side, taking a few deep breaths to calm the nausea that threatens to rise up once more. I unfortunately might end up needing to throw up a second time, but...hopefully if I sleep it off, I'll be alright.

"Hey, Tooth…?" I say softly once I'm settled in.

"Yes…?"

"Thanks…"

She smiles slightly and nods. "You're welcome, Jack...now make sure you get some rest. And don't forget to brush your teeth once you can get up again!"

At this, I actually give a quiet laugh. "Yes, Mother," I reply jokingly.

For a moment, she seems briefly surprised, then her smile returns and she too laughs slightly. "I'll be back to check up on you soon," she promises. "But for now...goodnight, Jack."

I bid her goodnight as well, and she proceeds to fly over to the door. Then, after casting a final smile over her shoulder at me, she leaves to go talk to the others, turning off the light and shutting the door behind her.

As I reach into my pocket to retrieve the dreamsand pouch that Sandy gave me a while ago, a thought strikes me. I had initially intended for the "Yes, Mother" comment to be nothing more than a joke, but...for a second, it almost seemed...well, natural. Not weird or mocking or anything, just...right.

...maybe I'm more open to this whole family thing than I thought I'd be.

* * *

 **Not gonna lie...this ended up a lot longer than I thought it would be XD But I'm happy with it, and I hope you guys enjoyed it too! Don't forget to leave a request if you've got one, and I'll see you next time!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	32. Wendigo, Part One

**Hey, guys! Gahhh, I'm so sorry that I kept you waiting for so long! I've been super busy lately with social stuff, pre-college stuff, and lots of personal anxiety stuff. :( But hopefully, I'll be able to pull myself together soon and make for more regular updates! For now...review time!**

 **Thanks so much to Loftcat27 and Demi clayton (Alright, sure, I'll write that for you! Just have to get through this one requested arc, then I'll get right to yours!) for reviewing! :)**

 **This new, three-part arc is a combination of (slightly edited by me for narrative reasons) requests from WinterCrystal1009 and FrostBreathTheIcewing on ROTG Amino! Only a bit of Winter's request is seen here, but it and Frost's request will be featured more prominently in the next two parts. Like I said, I had to edit the prompts slightly to make them fit, but hopefully, this should suffice! For the rest of you, remember that you can request something as long as it doesn't feature a pairing, an OC that isn't mine, or an AU!**

 **Also, as a brief warning, this arc is gonna be a bit...horror-ish. I don't think it should be too bad, but I figured I should let you know!**

 **With all that said, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Wendigo, Part One ~**_

The woods are dangerous at night.

Sure, you've got the regular wildlife to worry about, like bears, wolves, or other creatures, depending on where you live, and if you're stumbling around in the dark, there's always the risk of falling into a river or down a ravine, or-dare I say it-freezing to death in the night. Those threats, however, aren't exactly what I'm referring to.

You see...we live in a world where fairies and mermaids and unicorns exist, whether the mortals know it or not. In short, magic and, as a result, magical creatures, are real. Fun, right?

Unfortunately, that also means some of the darker legends are true. Legends that don't need belief to be seen...only fear.

In truth, commonly known creatures like vampires and werewolves have been on the decline lately, and they tend to keep to themselves. Ghosts have always been an issue, and likely always will be, but even they tend to favor parlor tricks over possession and revenge from beyond the grave these days.

Overall, spirits have kept these monsters at bay, from kappas to kelpies, so that humans typically don't have to worry about them. However, while the darker creatures don't thrive on belief, it can still will them into existence if it's strong enough, especially if it's paired with a large quantity of fear to back it up. As such, we can never really get rid of these things completely, as mortals will always tell their stories and legends, unknowingly bringing monsters to life.

So when Jamie and his friends' summer camp decided to actually live up to its name for once and take its kids into the woods for an overnight camping trip...I thought it best to tag along.

Jamie, as well as Caleb, Claude, and Pippa (Cupcake was in another state visiting relatives and I'm pretty sure Monty had some sort of math camp or something that week, so...they're absent for this particular incident. Also, Sophie's too young to go to that particular summer camp, so that's why she isn't here), were ecstatic that I'd be spending time with them during the summer, which I usually can't do because of the heat (though this'll be during the night, so...not as bad. Also wasn't too hot that day to begin with).

I, on the other hand, was extraordinarily on-edge. I myself have been attacked plenty of times while wandering forests alone, and sometimes even I don't manage to get away unscathed. And I'm capable of flight, so...yeah. Pretty bad.

To my relief, afternoon into evening proceeded pretty normally, with the counselors just teaching the kids how to do certain camping stuff, like building a fire and pitching tents. During all this, I mostly kept to the trees, making sure to watch over the area and secretly checking for any signs of unwanted creatures, supernatural or otherwise.

Daylight turned to dusk, then dusk to moonlight, all with no more incident than the twins starting a marshmallow stick duel that attracted at least six other participants until the counselors shut it down. Even the campfire gathering itself went more smoothly than I expected, especially because one of the more skittish counselors quickly prohibited the telling of scary stories. The kids looked a bit put out, but internally, I was relieved. Ghost stories out in the middle of the secluded woods only encourages legitimate fear, which attracts exactly the kinds of creatures that star in those tales.

I suppose I sound a bit paranoid right now, but keep in mind...I'm familiar with most, if not all of the monsters in this world. And by that, I mean I've been personally clawed or bitten by several of them. They're honestly no joke, and I'd rather die myself than let one of these kids get hurt by one of those things, whatever it may be. Even the ones that don't know me personally, like the young counselors and kids that don't believe in me...I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to them.

As such, I'm now sitting in the center of the campsite, beside the long-dead fire, staring into the darkness with my eyes glowing slightly to light my vision a bit better than the dim lantern in front of me can. Jamie and Pippa sit on either side of me (the twins exhausted themselves about an hour ago, and have been asleep ever since), keeping me company, but I'm thinking about sending them back to their tents to get some sleep soon. I haven't told them the real reason I'm here yet...we've been quietly conversing for a while, but I think both of them notice how distracted I've been. Damn it...I don't want them getting nervous because of me, but it might be too late for that now.

Sure enough, soon, Jamie asks quietly, "Hey, um...Jack? You okay…? You seem kinda...off."

Pippa frowns and nods in agreement. "Yeah, you look pretty freaked out…" she says slowly. "Plus, your eyes are kinda glowing...why's that…?"

I clear my throat awkwardly, running a hand through my hair. "It's, uh...just to see a little better," I explain. "Nature spirit thing. And I'm...not freaked out."

...real convincing, Jack. Good going. You should be an actor.

As if agreeing with my inner monologue, both kids fix me with the most intense deadpan expressions I've ever seen on two nine-year-olds.

"...okay wow, the least you could do is _pretend_ to believe me," I mumble, looking away with a slight pout.

"Come on, Jack, tell us!" Jamie insists. "We're like...almost adults!"

I give him a dull look. "You're both nine," I say flatly. "You're literally only halfway to adulthood."

"Well then, together we make a full adult!" is Jamie's smug response.

...this kid, I swear.

"And technically, you're not an adult either, Jack," Pippa points out.

"I'm over three hundred years old!" I protest, mildly offended.

"Not physically, you're not." She pauses. "...and honestly probably not even mentally either."

...these kids, I swear.

I groan, rubbing my forehead in exasperation. "I can't believe I'm being bullied by children," I grumble, only partially serious.

Jamie crosses his arms and...I guess _tries_ to look authoritative. "Then if you want us to stop, just tell us what's wrong!"

I shake my head, rolling my eyes slightly. "Look, I'm just staying alert, alright?" I tell them. "Anything can happen out here, you know. The woods are dangerous, especially at night."

"Not with you here to protect us!" Jamie proclaims confidently.

I smirk. "Exactly," I reply. "Which is why I'm staying on my guard."

Jamie pauses. "...oh," he says somewhat sheepishly as Pippa giggles slightly. "Now that...makes sense."

I nod and open my mouth to give a (probably snarky) reply, but the sound of bushes rustling a little ways off distracts me. I immediately freeze (no pun intended) as I turn my head quickly to stare into the darkness. My glowing eyes narrow as I make out three distinct shapes amongst the trees, all with sets of glowing eyes of their own; one green, one yellow, one light brown.

Not exactly what I expected...but almost just as bad.

"Hey, Jamie? Pippa?" I say, trying my best to keep my composure so I don't freak them out. "It's getting late. Why don't you two get to bed?"

The two kids share a glance. It's obvious that they know something's up. Thankfully, however, they don't protest, instead both nodding wordlessly and retreating back to their respective tents. Granted, knowing them, they're probably positioned right at the entrances, straining their ears to hear whatever's going to happen next, but at least they're out of the way.

Taking a deep breath, I stand and walk straight over to the three shadowy figures, disappearing into the treeline to join them. "What the hell are you three doing here?" I hiss, both hands gripping my staff tightly.

Cerelia-because surprise...it's the Seasonals-is the first to respond in an equally hostile yet quiet tone. "We could ask you the same question."

"I thought I told you to stay out of my season, Frost," Eliana whispers sharply.

"And I thought I told you to shove it," I retort bitterly. "Listen, I'm not looking for any trouble. I'm just trying to do my job here."

"What job is that?" Silas scoffs, arms crossed.

"Barging into other seasons and murdering wildlife, no doubt," Cerelia grumbles.

I give her a look. "No," I hiss. "I'm protecting children, geniuses. I'm here to keep them safe."

"Yeah, well they're not safe," Eliana whispers, eyes narrowed. "Not at all, in fact."

Compulsively, I roll my eyes. "Right, right, 'cause I'm the 'Bringer of Death' or whatever you wanna call-"

"No, dumbass!" the summer spirit suddenly interrupts, still whispering, but somehow conveying the power of a yell with her hushed tones. "They wouldn't be safe even if you weren't here."

As much as I hate to admit it, this gets my attention. "What's that supposed to mean…?" I whisper slowly. Suddenly, I realize that they've all been whispering too, even though they know that none of the kids will be able to hear them (they've got no believers to begin with, and I haven't even told Jamie and the others about them). Almost as if there was something else out here that might overhear us…

I suppress a shudder.

"A few days ago, four summer sprites reportedly intended to pass through this forest," Silas explains quietly. His expression hardens. "Only one made it out alive, and even she had gone half-mad with fear by the time Eliana found her."

I feel my heart begin to sink. No ordinary animal could down three summer sprites on its own...even a full pack of wolves would be driven back by their flames.

"As such," Cerelia continues, expression unreadable. "Mother sent us to investigate, and to dispose of whatever creature caused this tragedy." Her eyes narrow slightly. "Don't get in our way."

I scowl, trying to keep my nerves at a minimum. "I'm not gonna 'get in your way,'" I mutter. "But I am gonna stay here and protect-"

Suddenly, all four of us freeze in place. Without having to ask, I know that the three of them have just gotten the exact same feeling that I have.

We're not alone.

As we stand there, none of us even daring to move more than our eyes, a strange noise that almost sounds like a disturbing mixture between a hiss and a growl rises from between the trees a few feet to my right and their left. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a spindly, grotesque figure slowly prowling past us, its long, stick-thin limbs bent at odd angles as it moves with absolutely no grace whatsoever.

I stiffen, my blood running colder than usual in fear. However, the figure disregards us completely. No doubt, it could sense the powerful magic rolling off of all four of us from a mile away, and has decided not to bother trying to make meals of beings that might be able to quickly kill it.

After all, there's much easier prey in the woods tonight.

I hear Silas curse under his breath, and quite honestly, for the first time in my life, I have to agree with him. This situation has now gone from potentially bad to downright deadly...because I know exactly what the creature in these woods is, and it's much worse than I thought.

Wendigo.

* * *

 **Spooky...but we're done for now! Hope you enjoyed, and don't forget to let me know if you've got a request, or just what you think of my writing! See you guys next time!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	33. Wendigo, Part Two

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Heh...sorry about being a day late, but hey, still better than what was happening before! Anyway, let's get right to the reviews.**

 **Thanks so much to PuertoRicanBelle (I'm glad you like it! And I'll see what I can do! ;), Demi clayton (I'm sorry, I'm not entirely sure what you mean. Could you please elaborate?), Loftcat27, and Bennyweirlover17 (x3)!**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Wendigo, Part Two ~**_

All in the span of about two seconds, no less than a thousand panicked thoughts race through my head. Thoughts such as, " _OH GOD THAT'S A WENDIGO,"_ and " _WHAT DO I DO WHAT DO I DO WHAT DO I DO,"_ and " _OH GOD I NEED TO SAVE THOSE KIDS,"_ as well as a great deal of expletives to accompany these phrases.

So yeah, my mental state is great right now.

Oh boy, where do I begin...wendigos are BAD news. I never expected to see one here...they usually live farther north, but I suppose Pennsylvania isn't much of a stretch from their normal territory…

Hold on, I should explain. For those of you that don't know what a wendigo is...consider yourself lucky. They're basically part of this really disturbing myth that's common among several native tribes in the northern United States and southern Canada. Everyone tells the details a little differently, but if I'm remembering correctly, the consensus is that they're former humans that have been grotesquely warped into monsters as a result of being forced into practicing cannibalism, which...is terrifying, to be honest.

However exactly they originated, what is known for certain is that they are pale, lanky, vaguely humanoid (though extremely twisted and disturbing) monsters with inhuman strength, speed, and an appetite for human flesh.

Yeah. Fun.

I've had a couple of run-ins with wendigos in the past, and the only reason I ever managed to escape unscathed was that I'm able to fly. I've never had to protect very young, very grounded, very _mortal_ people from one. And even if I technically have the other Seasonals on my side for this…

...something tells me that something bad is going to happen.

Suddenly, I'm jolted out of my thoughts by a feeling of intense heat on the back of my neck, and I immediately yelp and duck away from what I now see is Eliana's hand. "What the hell was that for!?" I hiss, putting my own icepack of a hand on what's no doubt now a hand-shaped burn mark.

The Spirit of Summer merely shrugs. "Had to get your attention somehow," she whispers in response.

...there obviously would have been several different, less painful ways to accomplish this, but since we're pressed for time, I don't bother listing them. Instead, I merely mutter, "Fine, you've got my attention, now say whatever it is you need to say. And hurry!"

"Fine," Cerelia whispers, seemingly already tensed for battle. "As of right now, Frost, we find ourselves in a temporary truce. Evidently, we have the same goal; get rid of that wendigo before it hurts anyone else. As such...we need a gameplan."

"How's this for a gameplan?" I hiss impatiently. "We…'get rid of that wendigo before it hurts anyone.' We're wasting time just standing here and talking!"

"And we'd be risking lives if we run in there with no plan!" Cerelia retorts, eyes narrowed into glowing, emerald slits. "We may have the combined power of all four seasons on our side, but that's useless if we don't utilize it properly!"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" I whisper-yell.

"It _means_ ," Silas cuts in with a scowl. "If we run straight towards it, guns blazing, we could either lose it in the chaos, or accidentally strike one or more of the mortals. Use your head, Frost!"

I open my mouth to argue before realizing a split-second later that...well, he's right. Damn it...we need to move fast, but we can't move recklessly. Too many lives are at stake here…

I force myself to take a deep breath. "Okay," I whisper, trying my best to sound calmer. It's still weird to actually be holding a conversation with the other Seasonals without them beating me up, but...hey, there's a first time for everything, I guess, especially in situations of mortal danger. "What...what do we do?"

Cerelia is the one to quickly take charge. "Listen carefully," she whispers, adopting a subtly fierce expression not unlike the one she wore when she and the others weirdly encouraged me before my death battle with Old Man Winter. Strange...I suppose she's got a fighter's instinct in her. Pity it's almost always used against me. "Frost, our job is to immobilize the wendigo, utilizing your ice and my vines. Silas will work to weaken it with his leaves in order to make it easier for us to do so. Eliana has to be the one to finish it off...it will only fall to fire."

That's right...one of the unfortunate little details that make wendigos a nightmare to deal with. Unless you've got a flare gun, a molotov, a flamethrower, or a summer spirit on your side...you're pretty much done for. In fact...remembering this makes me even more nervous. Silas said that the sprites that this thing killed were summer sprites...they should have been able to fell it with their flames, right…? Guess these things are stronger than even they could handle…

"Frost." Cerelia rounds on me, eyebrows raised. "All of the humans are within their tents, correct?"

I quickly nod. "Yes," I tell her. "The last of them went inside just before I came to talk to you."

"Good…" she muses. "That should make it at least a bit harder for the wendigo to pinpoint exactly where they are...but they're intelligent creatures. It won't be fooled by fabric for long. We must hurry."

After only a few more seconds of confirming positions, the four of us split up, with Eliana staying where she is, Silas moving to the left (hovering to avoid risking being in the wendigo's range) to situate himself in the trees in front of the campsite, and Cerelia and I circling around to the right, behind the tents. It doesn't take long for us to all reach our designated positions.

It also doesn't take us long to realize that something is immediately amiss.

My heart nearly stops beating as I recognize the figure in the center of the campsite, who should _DEFINITELY NOT BE THERE RIGHT NOW-_

"I thought you said everyone was inside their tents!" Cerelia hisses, fear and anger battling for dominance in her voice.

I however, cannot respond. My voice has completely left me as I'm met with the sight of my friend, nephew, and first believer standing out in the open, defenseless, probably looking for me, and unaware of the hungry wendigo prowling in the treeline just feet away.

The bushes rustle.

Jamie turns.

I'm moving before I even realize it.

Wendigos are faster than any human being could ever hope to be...but humans don't have the help of the Wind on their side. At the first sign of movement, I abandon Cerelia's plan without an ounce of regret and rocket out of hiding and in front of Jamie, colliding directly with the creature that had just been nauseatingly close to cutting the boy's life short.

Normally, considering a wendigo's strength and my distinct lack of...well, weight, I would have been batted aside without any effort on the monster's part whatsoever. In this situation, however, the force of the Wind behind me, as well as the sheer shock of having someone literally barrel into it without pause, took the wendigo by surprise and caused it to stumble backwards, dazed. I, too, end up a bit unbalanced, lacking my usual grace upon landing, but regardless, I take the opportunity to begin trying to freeze the wendigo where it stands.

Unfortunately, however, the monster recovers quickly. With its superior strength, it quite easily breaks through the ice I had formed and once again makes that chillingly strange hiss-growl sound as it glares at me.

I can't help but gulp as it stares me down. I know the only reason it's hesitating to pounce is that it can sense my magic and isn't sure that it wants to deal with someone who just might be able to fight it off...but I know that soon, its insatiable hunger will make the decision for it.

"Jamie!" I hiss urgently, not daring to turn around. "Get into your tent!"

"B-But Jack-!" he starts to protest, though his voice is the shakiest I've ever heard it.

" _NOW!"_

That's all the convincing he needs, apparently, as I hear him quickly turn and run back towards the tents. The wendigo's head cocks to the side and I see it shift slightly as though to move, but I'm ready for it once again. The creature might be lightning fast...but so am I.

As it attempts to rush past me, I move identically, intercepting it. Unfortunately for me, though, while we're equally matched in speed...well, it's a different story entirely in terms of physical strength. I like to think that I'm quite a bit stronger than my stick-like physique would have you think, but I'm no match for a creature such as a wendigo, even if they do look more emaciated than me.

The wendigo bowls me over, easily pinning me to the ground, and for one terrifying moment, I'm afraid that it will bypass me altogether and go after the easier prey before I have a chance to stand.

As it turns out...I've now become the easy prey.

It's all I can do to keep the creature's gnashing fangs away from my neck, which is only accomplished by my constantly freezing and refreezing its mouth shut every time it manages to break through my magic. If holding back the teeth is difficult, though, restraining the hands is straight up impossible.

As I've said, the wendigo's strength easily outclasses my own, so it has no trouble at all raking its claws across my chest, abdomen, and upper arms, trying desperately to tear me apart. I try my best to protect myself by covering my body with a thick layer of ice, but the wendigo's claws still manage to dig deep enough to draw a worrying amount of blood. And if anything, it's only driven into even more of a frenzy by the scent of it.

Damn it...what the hell are the Seasonals doing!? Are they just gonna sit back and watch me die!?

Tch...how typical.

Soon, my vision starts to blur and I can feel my energy draining. I've lost too much blood...I'll be unconscious within the minute, and then the wendigo will devour me like a goddamn Popsicle...what a way to go.

However, just as I feel myself slipping, I see a brief flash of green, and suddenly, the weight of the monster is abruptly pulled off of me. Then, there's a buzzing sound and an inhuman yowl of pain. Then...heat?

Guess the Seasonals actually followed through with their plan...huh...took them long enough.

The yowling doesn't go on for long, and the heat seems to vanish with it. Guess it's dead, then...kinda anticlimactic for me, huh? I probably deserve it, though...I'm the one that charged a wendigo like some kind of idiot...though Jamie's not hurt, so it paid off...

God, I'm tired...

I think I hear Jamie calling my name, as well as a voice that sounds like Eliana's saying something like, "This is why you stick to the plan, dumbass!" It also sounds as though the other campers and counselors are coming out of their tents as well, likely awoken by the shrieks of the wendigo.

All this is sort of blurred, though...I can already feel myself starting to lose consciousness. I wonder what'll happen to me next...I doubt the Seasonals are willing to help, and I don't have a snow globe on me...I'll probably live, but I might be stuck here a while...I hope Jamie doesn't worry about me too much...though knowing him, he'll probably try to drag me home himself...heh...imagine that…

Oh well...I'll just leave thinking about that for...when I...wake...up…

* * *

 **Next chapter should wrap this arc up, I believe! Hope you guys enjoyed, and be sure to leave a review if you have a request, or if you just wanna tell me what you think! I'll see you guys next time!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	34. Wendigo, Part Three

**Hey, guys! ...I know, I'm the worst. DX I'm sorry! Things have been super stressful on my end because of a lot of transitions and impending life changes with college coming up at the end of the month...I really am trying to keep up a schedule, it's just...not always working. Sigh...well, either way, I'm here now, so let's get to the reviews, shall we?**

 **Thanks so much to Demi Clayton (I'm sorry, what do you mean?) and BlueGypsy (Aw, come on, cliff hangers are an author's best friend! ;) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Wendigo, Part Three ~**_

Whenever I succumb to unconsciousness from exhaustion or injuries these days, I usually expect to wake up in the infirmary of the North Pole, where I am then usually greeted by a few Medi-Yetis, who go to get North, who goes to get the other Guardians, who then all proceed to join up and fuss over me together. It freaked me out the first few times, admittedly, but it's become the norm at this point, so I fully expected these exact events to play out once again upon opening my eyes for the first time since the wendigo attack.

Except...that's not what's happening. Not even remotely.

Instead, I open my eyes to see that I'm in Jamie's bedroom, of all places, being watched over by the other three Seasonals, of all people.

…

...I have to be like...high or something, right? Like...a side effect of one of North's medicinal potions is hallucinating, and I'm just dreaming all of this up? There can't be any better explanation for this, right?

...right?

Because...this implies that the Seasonals, you know...stayed with me as if caring that I was about to bleed out. Which isn't a thing. In fact, they're usually the cause of said bleeding. It was only due to a fluke that we ended up on the same side this time around...said fluke being the wendigo, of course. Who'd want to team up with something like _that_ , like honestly? I don't think even Pitch would go so far as to support one of those things.

...sorry, I ramble when I'm injured and confused.

Luckily for you all, my internal babbling is soon cut short when the potentially-hallucinated Seasonals appear to notice that I've woken up. Like normal, they don't seem particularly thrilled that I'm not dead, but hey, at least they also don't seem that upset about it. I'm moving up in the world.

"So," Cerelia says as she moves to stand at the foot of Jamie's bed, which I now occupy. "You haven't succumbed to your wounds."

"N-Nice to see you t-too…" I mumble, looking at her with half-lidded eyes, then at Silas and Eliana. "W-What…? C-Come to make sure I do…?"

"Don't be stupid," Eliana scoffs with a roll of her yellow eyes. "If we wanted to kill you, you would've been reduced to nothing but ashes centuries ago."

"C-Comforting," I reply sarcastically.

"Eliana's right," Cerelia cuts in, expression unreadable. "It was never our desire to see you killed. Thus...we followed you here to make sure you lived."

"R-Real kind of you," I deadpan. "N-Now tell me...w-when exactly d-did you start c-caring?"

"Let's see…" Silas begins, voice matching mine in terms of sarcasm levels. "Probably about two days ago, when you were nearly slashed to death by a wendigo. Please, Frost, we're not entirely heartless."

The three centuries of you regularly kicking my ass for no reason beg to differ, but oh well, guess I'm suddenly in an alternate universe where that didn't happen now.

Suddenly, though, something Silas says hits me. "W-Wait…" I say slowly, my tired mind struggling to work properly. "T-Two days ago? I-It's been two days?"

Cerelia nods. "You've been unconscious for the entirety of that time...likely from the bloodloss. Luckily for you, it didn't take much effort to get your little human friend to believe in us-all we had to do was write our names in the dirt and he caught on-so we were able to get you here in time. And before you ask why we bothered...no matter how much we dislike you, Frost, Mother Nature would be furious if we knowingly let the Spirit of Winter perish. And…" She scowls, seemingly struggling with her next words. "And...I have to admit that you are the most... _preferable_ candidate for the position out of all of your kind. For the time being, of course."

...okay wow, that's probably the nicest thing she's ever said to me. Which is kind of sad, I guess, but I'll take what I can get.

Pushing that pleasant thought aside, I shake my head and ask, "O-Okay, well...w-why am I _here?_ A-And not, you know...a-at the Pole…?"

"Do you really think it would've been a good idea to carry you all the way to the North Pole in your condition?" Silas asks dully. "Besides...I doubt your Guardian 'friends' would be happy to see us. Given what you've no doubt told them about us, they'd think we were the ones that tore you apart."

Actually...no, they probably wouldn't, since I've never told them that the other Seasonals of all people are the ones that attack me the most. The other Guardians just think it's random lesser spirits and sprites that have the whole prejudice thing going on. So...they'd be safe to go to the Pole.

...not that I'd ever tell them that.

"Silas is right," Cerelia chimes in. "The boy's house was both closer and safer for all of us. And according to him, his mother is a nurse, so...we are not devoid of medical advice, thankfully."

I frown slightly. "B-But she can't s-see me," I point out, somewhat confused. "O-Or any of y-you. H-How could she help me, o-or give you advice?"

Eliana shrugs. "Easy," she says. "The kid's been acting as a messenger boy over the past two days. He told his mother he's writing a story where a character fights a tiger and gets claw marks all over him, so she's been telling him how to treat wounds like that. I mean...she probably thinks her kid's kinda morbid now, but hey, it helped."

...God, I don't deserve that kid. I really, really don't deserve that kid.

"Although...you're lucky you're a spirit," Cerelia tells me, an eyebrow raised. "If you were human, I doubt you would have healed this well with limited actual care."

"I-If I was human, I w-wouldn't be in this mess…" I mumble, but am promptly ignored.

"Either way...you're welcome," the Spirit of Spring continues, though she seems reluctant to look at me straight on, instead looking out the window with a slight grimace on her face. "I...don't know what you would have done had you been alone that night. It's, um...good that we were there to carry you here."

...I feel like there's some kinda weird hidden meaning there implying that the other Seasonals don't hate me as much as I thought they did, and this is all thinly veiled behind a curtain of bitterness to hide their true purposes from me, but to be frank, I'm too damn tired to think about it right now.

Instead, I just sigh and nod slightly. "I-I...y-yeah, thank you…"

"Don't expect us to make a habit out of saving you, Frost," Eliana warns. "We only did it because-"

"Y-Yeah, yeah, I know…" I interrupt, rolling my eyes. "M-Mother Nature would b-be pissed...I g-got it."

After a few mumbled agreements from the three of them, the room proceeds to fall silent.

At least, it does for about half a second until the door suddenly opens and Jamie bursts in, clearly out of breath, and for some reason, holding a wet washcloth in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"I-I heard voices, is he up!?" he asks breathlessly, then, his eyes fall on me and widen significantly. " _Jack!"_

Before I can react, he's by my side, shoving the items he brought onto the nightstand, grabbing my hand (just about the only part of me that isn't covered in claw marks) and holding it in a rather painful death grip while he quickly exclaims, practically in a panic, "You're awake! You're awake! Agh, I was so worried! Th-There was that _thing_ and you got hurt so bad, and there was so much blood, and you weren't moving at all, and I was so scared that maybe you'd-!"

"W-Whoa, whoa, Jamie, s-slow down!" I yelp, making a calming gesture with my non-crushed hand. "E-Easy there, kid...I'm okay, I p-promise."

"Are you sure!? It looked like-!"

"J-Jamie!" I interrupt as loudly as I can manage while trying not to hurt myself, though I still find myself wincing in pain after the fact. Luckily, though, my efforts seem to have paid off, as the boy immediately stops rambling and falls silent. "L-Listen…" I tell him more gently once I've recovered. "I-I'm...I'm alright, really…"

Jamie takes a few deep breaths, still looking nervous, before finally allowing his shoulders to slump and his grip on my hand to weaken. "Good…" he says softly with his head lowered, and suddenly, I realize how tired he looks. "Sorry, I...I was just scared…"

"I-It's okay, kid…" I reassure him. I give a slight smile. "S-Spirits heal quicker than humans, a-and...thanks to you, I-I'm gonna be fine."

He lifts his head to look at me, expression hopeful. "Really…?"

I nod. "R-Really. I-I've heard you've done a lot to help me…" I smile again. "Th-Thank you. D-Don't know where I'd be without you."

Now, Jamie looks sheepish, though I can still tell there's a hint of pride in his eyes. He grins and says in return, "I...I was happy to help!"

I laugh slightly and open my mouth to say more, but the sound of a throat clearing catches both my and Jamie's attention. We look over to see that Cerelia has stepped forward a little, her expression still kept carefully neutral.

"It's time for us three to leave," she says simply. She then glances at me. "Now that you're awake and aware, you should be fine on your own, yes?"

I nod. After all...I've dealt with much worse by myself in the past. As long as I rest up for a little while, then there shouldn't be any medical scares that Jamie'll have to deal with. In fact, give it a few more days, and I might just be able to fly back to the Pole...where I'll probably promptly be sentenced to house arrest until I can _actually_ heal completely, but oh well. Better than forcing Jamie to have to play nurse for longer than he has to.

"Good," Cerelia replies, then she nods at Eliana and Silas, who both head towards the window. The spring spirit follows, then pauses, glancing back at Jamie. "By the way…" she says somewhat stiffly, as though unsure of how to talk to a child (which...she probably is). "...don't tell any others about the three of us, alright? We actually _prefer_ to go unseen." This last part is said with a bit of side-eye directed at me, but I just ignore it because quite honestly, I really don't care.

Jamie blinks. "Oh, um...sure," he replies with a nod.

All three Seasonals nod in return, then, without another word, they exit the room, flying off to I-don't-care-wherever to do I-don't-care-what. Fatigue has hit me once again, so I let out a quiet exhale and close my eyes, trying to ignore the pain my wounds still bring me.

Once a few moments have passed, I feel the cool washcloth Jamie had brought in earlier being placed on my head. Then, after a beat of silence, he asks, clearly confused, "So...you guys don't really like each other, do you?"

I sigh. "K-Kid...you have no idea."

* * *

 **Alright, that's the end of that arc! Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you next time for something new!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	35. Castles Made of Sand, A Golden Shore

**Hey, guys! Sorry I'm two weeks and two days late...or AM I!?**

 **...okay, yes, I am two weeks late, but my uploading on Monday (...it's technically past midnight right now so it's not really Monday anymore, but that's not the point) was actually intentional! Since I'm going to be moving to college this coming Saturday (AHHHH), I'm going to be changing up my writing schedule (I've actually been thinking about doing this for a long time, 'cause...well, obviously, I haven't been keeping up very well). As some of you might know, I currently have two active ROTG stories running: this one, and RFL 2: Into the Dark. And trying to them both weekly has...not worked. As such, I'm now going to be updating each story every other week in an alternating pattern (hopefully...I don't know what college is going to do to my schedule). For clarity, this is how it will work:**

 **This Monday: Becoming a Guardian**

 **Next Monday: RFL 2: Into the Dark**

 **The Monday After That: Becoming a Guardian**

 **And so on. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep this up since I'll only need to write one chapter per week now. We'll see what happens, just bear with me, guys! For now, though, onto the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to last chapter's lone reviewer, Demi c** **layton! I'm still not entirely sure what that means...from I what I gather, it's something about the wendigo and the Wind, but I'm not sure how that relates. Still, though, thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **NOTE: After this chapter, which was a request from Demi clayton, I'll be taking a break from requests for a little while in order to write my own arc. I still have my list of requests, which will get written eventually, I just wanted to let you guys know that they might take a little while. Sorry, but I've wanted to get the aforementioned arc written for a while!**

 **That being said, though, after this really long author's note (sorry! Heh...), on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Castles Made of Sand, A Golden Shore ~**_

You know, I've recently realized that, while I've visited Tooth's palace, Bunny's Warren, and especially North's workshop numerous times...I've never actually been to Sandy's home, which is a large collection of dunes out in the ocean known as the Island of the Sleepy Sands. I've passed over it before while flying, sure, but I've never actually landed there to visit.

Granted, even Sandy doesn't really get to go back there much, thanks to his extremely busy schedule, which usually keeps him out and about. But I'm kinda surprised that, by this point, I haven't yet given into curiosity and asked him about it.

So today, naturally, I've decided to change that.

Now, Sandy's not the easiest person to find, as he could literally be anywhere on the planet at any given moment, but luckily for me, I've got the Wind on my side, which...can travel to anywhere on the planet at any given moment. Perks of being a nature spirit; with the Wind's help, finding things is never a problem. It's like in some games where there's a little arrow pointing to whoever you need to talk to in order to complete a quest. Super convenient.

Anyway, once the Wind lets me know that Sandy's currently situated on his dreamsand cloud somewhere above London, I set off to go meet him. Since I now know the general area he's in, he's not that difficult to spot-a giant cloud of golden sand in the air isn't exactly hard to see, even from a distance.

This isn't the first time I've approached Sandy's cloud like this, so when he turns around and sees me flying towards him, he's not all that surprised. Instead, he gives a friendly smile and a wave, which I gladly return.

"Hey, Sandy," I greet him as I reach his level and shift myself around so I'm basically sitting on my staff as I hover. I don't dare land on the dreamsand cloud, though, 'cause...wow, even just being around the stuff can make you drowsy, and I'd rather not fall asleep mid-flight without securing my staff to my hand so the Wind can keep me up.

It's happened before. It didn't end well.

Anyway, Sandy smiles and nods at me, then a golden question mark appears over his head, essentially asking me if there's anything I need from him. Alright...time to ask if I can come for a visit.

You see, I've been trying to be a bit more decisive and confident lately. The other Guardians have been assuring me time and time again that it's okay to ask them for things, and that I won't sound clingy for making a simple request. It's true, I've been pretty stubborn about it so far...it's not easy to get it through my head that I don't have to be completely independent anymore. Granted, logically, I understand that perfectly...but it's harder to change my thoughts and instincts.

I guess it's all just...complicated. But hey, I've been having a relatively good day today, so I figured I'd give asking about something like a normal person a shot, rather than my usual strategy of just kind of waiting around until permission is granted for something I've never even requested in the first place.

...God, how have I even been getting through life so far up to this point? I...kinda suck at living.

...alright I'm going off topic again. Back to my conversation with Sandy.

"So, I've been thinking…" I say as casually as I can (I'm...still a little nervous, admittedly). "I've been to the North Pole, the Warren, and Tooth Palace plenty of times, right?"

Arching an eyebrow as though not entirely sure where I'm going with this, Sandy nods.

"Well…" Here, my resolve almost falters, but I quickly steel myself and continue. I came all this way...no point in backing down now. Besides...there's not even really anything to be nervous about, right? It's just me not being used to things. "...I've recently realized that I've never actually been to your island. Like...I've seen it from above, but, you know...that's it. So I was thinking...or wondering, I don't know, if...that could maybe change…? If, you know, you don't mind, of course..."

...yeah, I'm awkward, but at the very least, Sandy seems to understand what I'm getting at, no matter how weirdly I'm talking about it. Giving a silent chuckle, he nods kindly and holds up a finger as though to say, "Give me a moment."

As I wait, he seemingly takes care of the last few dreams he needs to spread in that area for now. In actuality, Sandy doesn't really need to manually send out dreamsand all the time-it will just automatically find its way to sleeping children without the need for any guidance-but he prefers to do so as much as he can because it makes the job feel more personal, and he loves creating special dreams for the kids just as much as I love going down and starting snowball fights with them.

...I really hope I'm not being a bother with this...I could always just say that it'd be fine to visit later, when Sandy's not as busy…

...no. Bad Jack. Stop second-guessing yourself. Just man up and function normally.

I might be gradually going insane, but whatever. I'm sure it's fine.

Anyway, once Sandy finishes up, he spreads his arms out wide, letting me watch as the dreamsand cloud he sits on is transformed into a golden, sandy airplane. Not gonna lie, it's...it's really cool.

You know what, Sandy's just really cool in general, okay?

Once the little man puts on his dreamsand goggles (...how does he even see out of those?), he beckons to me to follow him. Excitement beginning to grow, I readily comply, easily keeping up with the little plane with the Wind's help. Within a short amount of time, the golden island comes into view on the horizon.

When we near it, Sandy allows his plane to dissolve once more into shapeless dreamsand, which drifts gently down to the surface of the island, adding to its spiraling dunes. He himself floats down after it, touching down on the sand, then looking up and gesturing for me to join him.

The moment I land, I begin to feel...different. More relaxed, calm...sleepy, even. I guess they don't call it the Island of the Sleepy Sands for nothing...all the dreamsand around here must have an effect on whoever sets foot on the island.

"So...this is your home, huh…?" I ask, suppressing a yawn. Sandy gives a silent laugh at my expense, then smiles and nods. He steps forward and takes me by the sleeve, gently leading me down towards the shore.

Which is probably a good thing, 'cause otherwise I might've just laid down and fallen asleep right there. It's not that I'm explicitly "tired," I don't think (not any more than usual, anyway)...I just feel...content. It kind of reminds me of how I felt back when I was turned into a cat-like if I could just curl up in the sun and take a nap, everything would be right in the world, you know?

Luckily for my sense of adventure and curiosity, however, the soporific effect of the island seems to decrease the closer we got to the shoreline. I still feel much more at peace than usual, but I'm no longer quite as willing to just flop down on the ground and sleep for a while. Instead, I'm now awake enough to take notice of the three figures sitting on a collection of rocks a little ways away from the island.

My eyes widen.

Are those... _mermaids?_

I had already known that mermaid existed, of course, but since I've always avoided water, even before I knew why it made me nervous, I...can honestly say that I've never even seen one up close before, let alone three. I had no idea they hung around Sandy's home…

Sandy seems to notice my awe, as he grins and floats a little higher in the air, raising a hand to, I assume, call the mermaids over to us. Sure enough, after a few moments, all of them gracefully dive into the water and begin swimming towards us. I can't help but watch in amazement as they lithely glide through the waves, scales glittering in the sunlight. Honestly, as accustomed as I am to the incredible beauties that the magical world has to offer...a mermaid in her element is still a sight to behold.

The three mermaids-one a redhead, her tail crimson to match, the next blonde with an azure tail, and the last brunette with scales of pale pink-approach us with friendly smiles and, after each taking a seat in the shallow water, they begin to greet Sandy with an air of familiarity.

"Sandy!" the blonde exclaims happily. "You're back!"

"It's certainly been a long time," the brunette adds warmly.

The redhead, however, focuses on me. "A boy of winter, hm?" she muses. After a moment, she smiles. "You must be the famous Jack Frost, yes?"

Too awestruck to speak, I simply nod.

The other two mermaids turn to look at me as well, and the blonde one giggles. "Aww, Sandy!" she says. "Why didn't you ever mention how cute he was?"

...aaaand now I'm blushing. I don't think anyone's ever called me "cute" before…

The brunette pretends to hide a smile behind her hand, but I can still clearly see it. "Oh, and shy too!" she teases. "Which makes him even cuter…"

...it...does…?

Seeing my awkwardness in response to all this, the redhead winks at me. "What's the matter? Not used to having girls fawn over you?" My blush must have deepened at her words, because now she laughs and adds, "Well, with a face like yours, you'd better get used to it! Just wait until news of your existence starts to hit teenage girls...you'll have a fan club before you know it!"

...okay, so this is all _extremely_ new to me, and I'm...honestly not even sure how to respond besides just standing there and...blushing. Thankfully though, after a bit of silent chuckling at my expense, Sandy decides to step in and save me at last. He holds up his hands in a placating gesture, then shakes his head in a playfully scolding way. Luckily, the mermaids seem to be good sports about it.

"Aw, sorry, Jackie," the blonde laughs, apparently already christening me with a new nickname. "We were just teasing!" She winks. "We weren't lying though, I promise!"

"O-Oh, um…" I stammer, unsure of what to say. "It's...it's alright...um...thanks, though, I guess…"

IIIII am the most awkward person to ever liiiive...hoorayyyy…

"You're welcome!" the redhead replies cheekily. "Oh, and I'm Cora, by the way. It's very nice to meet you, Jack."

"And I'm Lulu!" the blonde pipes up.

"And my name is Kai," the brunette finishes.

"It's...nice to meet you all…" I say, making an attempt at a shy smile. I feel awkward, yeah, but I don't wanna be rude...besides, I did get myself into this, after all, whether I realized it or not.

"So, Jackie…" Lulu begins. "Would you maybe like to come for a swim with us? It'll be fun!" The other two seem to agree, and they all begin looking at me with expectant smiles.

Instantly, I freeze. Damn it...so much for not being rude...but there's no way I'm getting into the water. It...it's just not going to happen.

I clear my throat awkwardly and try to let them down easy. "Oh, um...I...I really appreciate the offer, but...swimming's not really my thing...I'm sorry, but...I think I'll pass…"

I half-expect them to keep pushing the issue, but surprisingly, they seem pretty understanding about it.

"Oh, that's okay," Kai tells me with a sympathetic nod. "We know the water's not for everyone! How about we do something here on the shore, then? We'd love to spend some time with you and Sandy!"

"I'd...be fine with that…" I say slowly, nodding. I then glance at Sandy, who appears to be thinking. After a few moments, he looks up and grins, and a dreamsand image of a castle appears above his head.

I raise my eyebrows. "Building sandcastles?" I ask. He nods in return, and I can't help but grin slightly. "Well...you know what, I'm in."

"That sounds perfect!" Lulu agrees enthusiastically.

"How about this?" Cora proposes, gesturing at Sandy and me. "You two get started on the castle itself, and the three of us will dive down and look for things to decorate it with, okay? And we might even be able to find some more of the others for you to meet while we're down there!"

Sandy and I both nod, and all three of the mermaids wave to us, then pull themselves back out into the deeper water, disappearing back into the surf with flashes of red, blue, and pink. Then moment we're alone, Sandy smirks at me, forming images of three mermaids and a heart above his head, then pointing at me, which I take to mean something along the lines of "They really love you, huh?"

I roll my eyes, trying to play it cool, but even I can tell my face is still tinged blue with a winter spirit's blush. "Shut up…" I mumble, though my heart's not really in it. I give an embarrassed smile. "You heard what they said...they were just teasing me."

Sandy merely winks at me, and though he doesn't form any more images, I believe I can still tell exactly what he's thinking.

 _But they also said they weren't lying._

I clear my throat awkwardly and kneel down in the sand. "Let's, um...let's just start on the sandcastle, okay…?" Sandy laughs silently and kneels down as well, while I focus my full attention on smoothing out a patch of sand so we can build on it. Anything to get my mind off the fact that I was just called "cute" by what are widely known as the most beautiful creatures in the sea…

...I guess not every magical being immediately hates me on sight after all. I appreciate the sentiment, of course, but…

...damn it, now I'm all flustered! Gah!

It's fine, though...it's fine...I guess this is just a side effect of being a social person? People...take notice of you in different ways? Maybe even...positive ways?

Can't say that that's something I'm used to...I mean yeah, the Guardians accepted me, but only after a while. And my believers all treated me well right off the bat, but they hadn't even known I existed until that night, and they may have just starting liking me due to my association with the others, at least at first…

With the mermaids, though, I'm sure they've at least heard of my reputation. They just...don't really seem to care. Either that, or Sandy's told them that I'm not actually a cold-hearted demon. Whatever the case...they're totally willing to treat me like a normal person without me even having to beg them to or prove myself somehow.

I didn't even know that was possible for someone like me.

You know...earlier, I was worried about asking Sandy if I could visit his island. I thought I might be intruding, or overstepping my boundaries, or that I'd screw something up somehow in the process...but none of that happened. Instead, I actually met some people who, while they did seem to enjoy teasing me, didn't seem to assume even for a second that I was a bad person. All because I decided to step up and suggest something with confidence for once in my life.

Huh...maybe I should do that more often.

* * *

 **Our Jackie Boy's making some progress! And I couldn't write a chapter about Sandy's home without including some of the mermaids that live around there :) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, and feel free to leave a review to tell me what you think! I'll see you guys next time!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	36. Cursed, Part One

**Guys...I'm incredibly sorry I've been gone for so long.** **I've been going through the transition from high school to college (where I am right now), and...it's been rough. Things are getting better, granted, but...yeah. It hasn't been easy, and I haven't had time to write...until now. I'm going to try as hard as I can to keep up the alternating schedule I mentioned before with this and Into the Dark, but I can't promise that things will go perfectly. Still...I'm back now, and for those of you that may or may not still be there...please enjoy :) But first, some long-overdue reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to Loftcat27, Demi clayton, and Ashline3000!** **Honestly, thank you so much, and thanks so much to anyone who's still with me :)**

 **With that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Cursed, Part One ~**_

The fourth-to-last time I saw the other Seasonals, they attacked me like usual, nothing special. The third-to-last time I saw them, they, for whatever reason, took my side in the conflict between myself and Old Man Winter, even though they ultimately didn't really do anything. The second-to-last time I saw them, as they were beating me up again, I asked Cerelia why the three of them felt the need to constantly attack me, and she almost answered, but was interrupted by Bunny at the last second. The last time I saw them, we joined forces and fought off a wendigo, and they helped Jamie care for me when I was injured.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

How is it that, after three hundred years of nothing but physical and verbal abuse from those three, I'm now suddenly starting to make what seems like...progress? I'm not sure if that's really what I can call it, 'cause they still physically and verbally abuse me, but like...maybe I can find Cerelia, get her to finish whatever she was going to say, and then get to the bottom of _why_ they do this, once and for all.

Or, you know, die trying, but...hopefully not.

Unfortunately for me, though, death (or at least significant injury) might just be a likely possibility within the next few minutes, mostly because I, in my endless intelligence, have just walked into an area that is unmistakably in the middle of springtime in order to get Cerelia's attention.

...pray for me.

Do I know that trying to bait Cerelia into coming after me like this is a bad idea? Yes.

Am I aware that the other two could very easily swoop in as well and kick my ass? Yes.

Am I still going through with this despite all that?

...yes.

So I walk through the lovely springtime forest for a few minutes, calling out things like, "Hey, Cerelia! Here I am! Jack Frost, messing up your season! Watch me ice over this grass! You'd better come save the flowers before they wither and die! You know me, just a bringer of death!"

...okay, so I might be milking it a little, but to my credit, it doesn't take long for my plan to work. And, luckily for me, Cerelia's entrance isn't violent this time.

Instead, I hear a light thud in the grass behind me: the sound of a spirit alighting on the ground. I turn around and am met with the sight of a very annoyed Spirit of Spring. Never really a good sign. Though...she's still not attacking me, so I'm counting this as a win.

"Frost," she growls, eyes narrowed and arms crossed in irritation. "There had better be an excellent explanation for why you're parading yourself through my season like a moron."

I allow myself a slight grin. Cool, maybe she'll actually talk to me before she beats me up this time! And she didn't even bring Eliana and Silas along to join in on the potential assault! That might be a first.

"Well," I begin, casually slinging my staff over my shoulder. "I was actually hoping you could tell me that."

She wordlessly arches an eyebrow.

"You see...if not for you, I wouldn't be here right now," I explain. "Or, more specifically, if not for something you said...or rather, something you _didn't_ say-"

"Get to the point, Frost," Cerelia deadpans, clearly annoyed. "And quickly. Before I decide to call in the others."

...okay maybe I'm overdoing it a little. Time to get serious. I clear my throat awkwardly and offer a quick apology. "Ah...right, sorry," I say. "What I mean is...the second-to-last time we encountered each other, you started to say something to me."

The Spirit of Spring keeps her expression carefully neutral. "Did I?"

I nod. "Yeah. When I asked why you all claimed that no one could trust me...you hesitated. Then, you said, 'Because-'...and were cut off when Bunny showed up. You three left, and you never finished what you were about to say. So…" I raise my eyebrows and look at her expectantly.

For a long moment, Cerelia says nothing. Her emerald eyes narrow and study me for a bit, that same consideration as before lingering in her expression. However, I get the feeling that she's a bit more reluctant to speak this time around, as she merely says, "...and you want me to tell you what I was going to say."

"That's...the gist of it, yes," I confirm. Then, after a short pause, I sigh. "Listen, Cerelia. You, Eliana, and Silas have been attacking me regularly for the past three centuries. Whenever I'd ask why in the past, all I'd get was vague BS like, 'Oh, it's because you're a demon!' or, 'You're evil and we need to weaken you!' Those aren't reasons. They're excuses built on stereotypes." I arch an eyebrow. "Am I wrong?"

Cerelia doesn't say a word, so I take that as my cue to continue.

"I was never confident enough to contest you before. I was invisible. Nothing. No one. In a weird way...I guess you guys kind of gave me an identity. But...it wasn't one I wanted. I never wanted to be feared." I take a deep breath. "...but for a long time, I believed you. I believed you because I had nothing else to believe in."

My expression hardens. "But now I do. I have the other Guardians by my side. And though it hasn't been easy...they've made me see that I'm not worthy of being despised for no other reason than being of winter. And I'd like to believe that you three are at the very least rational enough to see that as well. So…" I cross my arms. "Tell me. What's the real reason you target me so much? Why do you really try your best to keep me incapacitated as much as possible? What did I ever do to deserve this treatment?"

For a long time, the spring spirit says nothing. Then, she opens her mouth to speak, and for a moment, I almost believe that she's going to give me the answer I'm asking for, but as it turns out, she's remaining obstinate. "And why should I tell you that?" she asks, expression still frustratingly blank.

I scowl slightly. Time to push harder. "Because don't I deserve to know?" I point out, spreading my arms irritably. "Don't I deserve to know why I've spent my whole life getting my ass kicked and my name dragged through the dirt? Or do you not have a reason for your wanton violence at all?"

Cerelia's fists clench. "If I tell you…" she says slowly, eyes narrowed. "Then it will make things worse."

"Right," I sarcastically reply. "Things could be so much worse. Like...I could be shunned and cast aside my entire life just 'cause my body temperature's a bit lower than yours. Oh wait! That _did_ happen, didn't it?"

I can tell that I'm starting to get to her, as her scowl deepens and her shoulders lift slightly with irritation. "You're trying to delve into dangerous things, Frost," she says warningly. She then mumbles to herself, as though not expecting me to hear her. "I never should've said anything in the first place...it's always better when they don't know…"

Now I'm really getting frustrated as well. "When who doesn't know what!?" I exclaim. "Stop being cryptic and just answer me! What are you so afraid of!?"

I...think I may have pushed it too far with that, as she now abruptly flicks her wrist, sending a thorned vine curling in my direction. Had this been any other day in the past, I would likely have just stood there and taken it, then waited there on the ground until Eliana and Silas showed up to join the brawl.

Today, however, I'm done with turning the other cheek.

I quickly perform a one-handed cartwheel to the side in order to get out of the vine's path, then with my other hand, slam my staff into the ground so I'm able to swing myself around it and kick Cerelia right in the abdomen. She, obviously not expecting any retaliation, is thrown off-balance easily. She doesn't fall, but before she can properly right herself, I'm there, grabbing her arms and holding them behind her, while forcing her down to her knees so her movement is limited. Sure, it's not exactly gentlemanly, but after three centuries of being on the receiving end of blinding pollen and slashes from brambles, I honestly feel pretty justified.

"Now," I growl in her ear. "Tell me what the hell you have against me."

Cerelia, however, doesn't seem to have given up. " _Never,"_ she hisses, then suddenly, a vine shoots out of nowhere and wraps around my neck. With a sharp tug, it pulls me off of her and throws me onto the ground, then lets go, then wraps around my waist, then lifts me back up, then slams me painfully back onto the ground. Truly a series of unfortunate events.

But I'm still not done here. I quickly freeze the vine solid and shatter it into pieces, then jump to my feet and lunge forward with my staff, hooking it around Cerelia's waist and using my momentum to fling her into the trunk of a nearby tree. The moment her back makes contact with the bark, I wave my hand to form a significant amount of ice between the two, effectively freezing her to the tree's trunk.

"Tell me!" I demand. "Or at least tell me why you apparently can't tell me!"

In between shivers from the cold of the ice, Cerelia glares at me and practically spits, "Because telling winter spirits what's wrong with them always makes it worse!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"

"I _can't tell you!_ "

Suddenly, the tree I've frozen Cerelia to starts to move, and not just from the Wind. My eyes widen in shock and I barely jump out of the way in time before one of the branches slams down onto the ground where I stood just moments before.

...okay, this might be bad.

Thanks to Cerelia's status as a powerful spring spirit, the simple oak tree I pinned her to has now essentially become a Whomping Willow, its branches furiously thrashing and swiping at me in an effort to protect its controller. Thankfully, though, we're currently situated at the edge of a clearing, so the tree has limited range, while I am the self-proclaimed master of projectiles. I let the Wind carry me back, away from the tree's writhing limbs, where I then proceed to fling a barrage of purposely blunt-edged icicles at her. I don't exactly want to tear her apart...but if I have to knock her around a bit in order to get an answer, then that's what I'll have to do.

The tree bends a few of its branches down to shield Cerelia, but a few icicles manage to get through the barrier. Most just bounce (mostly) harmlessly off her arms and legs, but one collides with her head, not doing much damage, but still disorienting her enough to force her to somewhat release her control on the oak. Then, while the branches are temporarily halted midair, I raise both arms, creating a large, circular ice barrier that rises up and prevents the limbs from falling again.

With the immediate threat neutralized, I try talking again. "We don't have to do this, Cerelia!" I call out, my frustration evident in my tone. "You know I'd beat you in a fair fight, so just swallow your pride and tell me, would you!?"

"You're forgetting that winter always gives way to spring!" Cerelia retorts, though I can tell she's struggling in her attempt to free herself from the ice that keeps her bound to the tree trunk.

I cross my arms. "Then why haven't you gotten yourself free yet?" I ask, one eyebrow raised.

The only response I get from her is a glare.

"Just listen to me!" I continue, starting to get desperate. "I know you don't like me, I just want to know why! Don't I deserve that much!? I mean, come on! I've never done anything to you!"

"You froze me to a tree," she deadpans.

I pause. "...up until now," I quickly amend. "But it's only because I'm done lying down and just taking the abuse! I'm sick of it!"

"And I'm sick of winter spirits acting like they can handle the truth, then becoming corrupted that much faster because they know about it!

"Know about _what!?_ "

"About the _curse!_ "

We both freeze. Cerelia's eyes widen, then narrow as she looks away, hissing under her breath, "Damn it...you just had to rile me up, didn't you…?"

I, meanwhile, simply stare at her. "The...the what?" I ask, bewildered.

"You heard me," the Spirit of Spring replies grimly. "You and every other winter spirit currently in existence...you're all cursed."

* * *

 **And the new arc is on :) Hope you guys enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think! See you guys next time!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	37. Cursed, Part Two

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! You know the drill, let's start with the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to Demi clayton, Spottedfrost7 (Haha, not quite XD But you'll see! And thank you!), Ashline3000, and Loftcat27 for reviewing!**

 **And with that, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Cursed, Part Two ~**_

Admittedly, I don't know as much about other forms of magic as I probably should. I pretty much just know my ice magic, and...that's it. Yeah, yeah, I know, I should be doing my homework more, but there's never really been a need for it.

...until now, apparently.

From what little I know about curses, I can say that they're...weird. I think pretty much anyone already capable of magic can lay down a curse if they really want to, but it absolutely _must_ be accompanied by extreme negative emotion. It's kind of like the belief magic that keeps the other Guardians and me in existence, but in reverse. Rather than wonder, hope, memories, dreams, and fun, curses are brought to life by anger and hatred in excess, and I mean _great_ excess.

So what the hell happened to curse every winter spirit out there!? If it's even true, of course...but by the sincerity in Cerelia's expression, I honestly can't help but be inclined to believe her.

At present, I'm currently staring at her in shock. "We're...all cursed…" I dumbly parrot back to her, stunned. "What...what's that supposed to mean!?"

"It means exactly what you think it does," Cerelia answers darkly. "Winter spirits in general, yourself included, have a curse placed on them."

"What...kind of curse…?" I ask slowly. No point in mentally panicking yet...I need to understand what the hell is going on first.

She gives me a dull look. "Maybe I'll tell you if you let me off this tree," she says with a scowl.

I can't help but scoff at this. "Please...I'm finally getting you to talk to me, and you think I'm gonna risk letting you get away? Not a chance."

Cerelia doesn't look pleased, of course, but surprisingly enough, she relents. "Fine," she growls. "But you're going to regret being told, I promise you that."

"Just get to the point," I deadpan.

She glares at me again, but thankfully, I don't have to press any further.

Finally...I'm getting my answers.

"First off…" Cerelia begins. "Do you know why Old Man Winter was sent into exile in the first place?"

I blink, having not expected to hear that name again. "Um…" I hesitate. "It...was because he murdered the Spirit of Winter at the time, right…?"

For a moment, I could swear I see Cerelia flinch, but she quickly moves on as though it had never happened.

"You're right," she says, looking away. "Hungry for power and with darkness in his heart...he killed her in an attempt to take her position from her." Her emerald eyes darken. "Naturally...Mother wasn't pleased. She was furious, in fact, and rightfully so. As such...she banished him. No one knows where he went, but he was gone for centuries upon centuries. He was finally released a few decades ago...and of course, you know what happened next."

I nod grimly. "Of course. But...where does the curse come in?"

"I was getting to that," she responds irritably, though her annoyance seems half-hearted at best. "When Old Man Winter was exiled, he was enraged. He was never exactly 'of sound mind,' so to speak...but he fell over the edge that day. And evidently...he felt strongly enough about his situation that he was able to lay down an extremely powerful curse." Cerelia looks me directly in the eye. "A curse that would ensure that every winter spirit both currently in existence and created after the fact would eventually come to possess the same madness and bloodlust that he himself did."

My heart nearly stops.

That...that's why. That's why everyone...everyone always said…

...that I'm destined to be a demon. That's why the "stereotypes" came to be...they're not stereotypes at all, they're the results of a _curse!?_ That's why I've never met another friendly winter spirit...that's why no one thinks I have it in me to be good...that's why...all these years...I've been treated like...like…

...like a ticking time bomb.

Because according to this...I am one.

I...I'm stunned. I can't speak, I can't think, I can't...I can't do anything but stare at Cerelia and listen as she continues to talk.

"And so far...that curse has come true for every winter spirit in existence," she says quietly. "Every single one...except you." She sighs, looking down. "Winter spirits all start out with bright blue eyes. Along with the paleness and white hair, it's one of your consistent features. But...have you noticed? Aside from you, they've all got steely gray eyes now."

...she's right. I've never seen another blue-eyed winter spirit before.

"Those gray eyes...they're the telltale sign that a winter spirit has turned. Every other winter spirit we know of has fallen victim to the curse...and yet somehow, after all this time, you haven't." She shakes her head. "It's impressive, for sure...but it won't last. I don't know what makes you so special, but even you will be torn down by it someday." She scowls. "And now that you've forced me to tell you...that day will come sooner than it would have otherwise. It always speeds things up when they know what's coming."

I...I don't even know what to say...however, it seems that Cerelia isn't done.

"You wanted to know why we've attacked you so much over the years? Why we did everything in our power to beat you down, keep you weak, and break your spirit? Because it was the last thing we hadn't tried. We tried being as nice as possible, we tried warning them, we tried finding a countercurse, we tried to find someone, _anyone_ that was different...but nothing worked. This lasted centuries and centuries, and nothing came of it. And so, when you came around, rather than continue trying to end the curse...we instead decided to simply manage its effects. We kept you weak so you wouldn't be able to hurt anyone. We constantly pounded it into your head that you deserved this and that you were nothing but a demon so that you'd be conditioned into thinking this was normal and not try to fight it. The lesser spirits were warned not to approach you for their own protection. It was never anyone's first choice...but after hundreds of years of trying every kinder thing we could think of, it was the only choice we were left with."

Before I can even begin to respond, she raises an eyebrow at me. "And as painful as it might have been...you have to admit that it worked. You haven't turned yet, have you? You've lasted just over three hundred years...I've known some to barely last three months. No matter what your personal opinion of this might be...you can't deny the success."

"No," I cut in, suddenly finding my voice. Even though I can barely think, somehow, the words I need to say start coming to me all at once, and I don't have the power to stop them. "No. You're wrong. None of this...none of this could be considered a 'success.' By doing this, all this, by...by attacking me...by beating me within an inch of my life...by leaving me to suffer alone...you did me no favors. You...you _broke me_."

Cerelia opens her mouth to speak, but I don't let her.

"Don't even say it!" I demand with a glare. "Don't even start to say that I'm just overreacting, or that I can't see that it worked because it didn't seem fair at the time, or any of that bull! You people have made me hurt my whole goddamn life! You don't get to write all that off as a 'success' just because I haven't lost my mind and gone on a killing rampage! Do you have any idea what all of this drove me to-!?"

I cut myself off. Damn...no need to let her know what all this did to me...what it made me do to myself...what I almost ultimately did. I...I'm not proud of any of it. And it's...it's too personal…

…

...forget I said anything.

"A-Anyway…" I stammer, trying to get back on track. "The point is that nothing you did was good, no matter how you spin it. I...I haven't felt okay for a long, long time. And do you know what's starting to change that? Being accepted. Being welcomed. Having someone to actually care about me and make sure I'm not alone anymore."

"I told you, we tried that already!" Cerelia interrupts, and suddenly I can see what looks like pain in her eyes. "You're forgetting that this took place over several centuries...all we did in the beginning was try to show the cursed winter spirits kindness and acceptance, but it only caused more people, immortal and otherwise, to get hurt. But over time, we noticed a trend amongst some of the lesser spirits...many of them were letting their frustrations get the better of them, and started taking it out on the winter spirits of lesser or equal power. As violent as it was...it seemed to keep them from turning, at least for a while. Thus...we developed our new approach."

She sighs. "Gradually, everyone but Mother Nature, Silas, Eliana, and myself forgot about the curse. This was our intention...we spread the rumors and stereotypes that branded winter spirits as demonic by nature. Soon...we had virtually the entire spirit world believing it. And sure enough, we found that it took longer for the cursed individuals to turn if they were kept weakened and dispirited."

"But all of them except me still turned!" I point out frustratedly.

"While that is true…" Cerelia continues, giving me an irritated look for my interruption. "We also discovered that those that did submit to the curse were kept a bit more tame by our methods. If we kept them weak...they couldn't wreak as much havoc." She looks up at me. "And like I said...we did have one success." She arches an eyebrow. "Unless you have a different explanation for why your eyes are still blue?"

I heave an impatient sigh and begin to pace back and forth, mumbling half to myself, "Ugh, hell if I know...maybe 'cause the Moon chose me or whatever? Or...I don't know, maybe it's the human in me…? Hm…"

Cerelia suddenly blinks in surprise and stares at me. "Wait…" she says, sounding genuinely confused. "What...was that last part?"

Only partially paying attention, I repeat, "I said maybe it's the human in me."

"The…" Now she's looking at me like I've got three heads. "What...are you talking about?"

Somewhat annoyed, I stop pacing and look back at her. "The human in me," I repeat again. "As in...the person I was before becoming a spirit? Ring a bell?"

But apparently it doesn't ring a bell, as she continues staring at me in disbelief. "But...that's not possible…" she says slowly.

I raise an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" I ask. "Of course it's possible. Plenty of spirits were human before they became immortal. Not all of us were created that way like you were."

The spring spirit quickly shakes her head. "That's not what I mean. I mean...it's not possible for a human to become a winter spirit."

...okay, now it's my turn to be confused. "Uh...why not?" I ask skeptically. "Pretty sure I'm living proof that it is possible."

Cerelia frowns. "Because of the difference in body temperature," she explains. "Humans can easily become spring, autumn, or unaligned spirits, or even some lesser summer spirits, but...they can never be of winter. Their body temperature would plummet before the process was fully complete, and they'd freeze to death before they could actually gain their immortality and new body type. I don't know what gave you the idea that you were human before you were the Spirit of Winter...but it's just physically impossible for a human to go through that transformation and live."

...I've never heard that one before. But...I certainly have an answer to it. It's not really one that I ever planned on revealing, but…

...I need to prove that Cerelia's wrong about everyone's treatment of me somehow, don't I?

I take a deep breath.

"So...for clarification…" I begin. "It's impossible for a living, breathing, warm-blooded human being to become a winter spirit without dying in the process?"

"Yes," she confirms. "Completely impossible."

I look her straight in the eye.

"Then how about a corpse instead?"

* * *

 **Ooh, I've been waiting to get all this information out there...had quite a bit of fun with it, too. :) Anyway, hope you all enjoyed, and be sure to leave a review to tell me what you think! See you next time!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	38. Cursed, Part Three

***inhales***

 **AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-**

 **Guys...words cannot describe how sorry I am for being gone for so long. I've missed writing so much, but dealing with not only my first semester at college but also worsening anxiety has been rough :( Now, however, I'm on winter break, and I'm going to do my best to keep writing both this and RFL 2: Into the Dark! I have no idea how many of you are even still with me at this point, but...if you are reading this, thank you so much for your patience. I plan to keep this story going for as long as I can, and I hope you guys will continue to join me here to read it. :)**

 **With that being said, time for reviews! Thanks so much to linguaphile, Loftcat27, Demi clayton, Ashline3000, sparklehannah, MadCrazyChloe, Banana Bird, eternax (Okay, that's a hilarious sentence, thank you very much! XD), and DerangedDolphinofMagic (Aw, thank you so much for your kind words! That's very sweet :) for reviewing!**

 **Anyway, now, finally...on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Cursed, Part Three ~**_

As I know I've mentioned before, it's...not normal for a spirit to have died in order to become the way that they are. Ghosts and spirits are two different things, after all, and in fact, if I didn't exist, the concept of death and revival would be entirely unheard of.

However, since I do exist...apparently it's a thing that can happen.

I don't know how, I don't know why it's just me...but clearly, it's a thing, because otherwise, I wouldn't be here today. Though, despite knowing it's unusual, I've found that, over time, I've come to terms with it all.

Cerelia, however, seems to be having a more difficult time processing it.

She stares at me in complete shock, no longer even acknowledging the fact that she's still frozen to a tree. It seems I've caught her so off-guard that she's not even mad about that anymore...never thought I'd see the day.

"W-What...what are you talking about!?" she stammers, though I can tell she already knows what I'm implying.

"You heard me," I say simply. "What about a corpse? They don't exactly have a lot of body heat, and, well...it's not like they run the risk of dying again."

"Y-You don't seriously mean to suggest-!?"

"That I began my life as a human?" I ask, one eyebrow raised. "And only became a spirit after...rising from the dead? I think you know that that's exactly what I'm suggesting, Cerelia."

"B-But...that's impossible!" the Spirit of Spring insists, shocked. "No one can come back from the dead! It's...it's unheard of! The...the sheer amount of magic that would take...it...it would be astronomical!"

I give a slight sigh. "Which is probably why only the Man in the Moon was capable of it," I say quietly. "And...why it's only happened once."

For a long moment, she continues staring at me in disbelief, but over time, her expression gradually changes. As her shoulders stiffen, her emerald eyes narrow into slits and she hisses through gritted teeth, "...why _you?_ " she asks, sounding frustrated, or almost...hurt. "Of all the people...he could've brought back...why the hell did he choose you?"

An...odd reaction, at first glance. But I've been considering something. Cerelia seems to stiffen up whenever the Spirit of Winter that Old Man Winter murdered is mentioned, and I'm pretty sure Eliana and Silas have done the same before...I'm starting to think that the three of them were close to the unfortunate spirit...they were most likely a part of the original sibling group, if I had to guess. In that case, it would make sense for Cerelia to be bitter over the fact that I got to live and that spirit didn't. With all this in mind, I...admittedly feel some pity for them…

But still...I'm not about to forgive and forget, nor am I going to apologize for being alive.

"I don't know exactly why he chose me," I admit, shaking my head slightly. "And...I doubt I ever will. But the fact of the matter is that I'm alive, I'm here, and I don't intend on turning evil any time soon. So just...leave me be. Can I ask that of you?"

As I expected, she doesn't cave all that easily. Instead, after staying silent for a long moment, she says flatly, "Just because you were made unconventionally doesn't mean that you're safe from the curse. The...human...in you might help you remain yourself for now, but you're still a winter spirit...you're still susceptible, no matter what."

"I'm willing to take that chance," I respond, though inwardly, I'm still pretty damn nervous...but I can't show that. Come on, Jack, ice cold exterior, you can do this…

"I'm not," Cerelia retorts. "We can't risk letting you reach full power at any point. It's nothing personal...you would just be far too much of a threat if you were to turn."

I roll my eyes slightly. "That's a hard 'if,'" I point out. "There's nothing guaranteeing that I'll go evil on you, and if anything, mistreating me would only speed up the process. Haven't you seen, like...any movie ever?"

"No," Cerelia says flatly, seeing as she's a nature spirit who's never had even a fraction of the interest in the mortal world that I do. "And even if I had, that doesn't change the results of what we've tried to do to combat the curse. Playing nice only makes us more vulnerable to attack. If you ever do turn, keeping you weak would mitigate the amount of damage you were able to do to this world, at least." She arches an eyebrow. "Unless you want to risk freezing the precious children of the world to death?"

My eyes narrow.

"I would _never_ do that," I growl, fists clenching.

"Mhm…" she looks away. "That's the sort of thing they all said. And yet one by one...their hearts seemed to freeze over."

"I'm not like them," I insist.

She rolls her eyes, then glares at me. "You're extremely arrogant if you think you can resist a curse that countless others have fallen to simply because you _want to_. That's not how curses work. And strange origins or not, you're still not special, Frost. You're no chosen one, no...hero meant to break the curse and save your brethren. You're just a stubborn, naive _child_."

"Think what you will of me," I snap, practically cutting her off. "But I promise you, of all the things I am, I am _not_ naive. Listen, I never claimed to be a hero. I never claimed to be 'the chosen one' or whatever. I'm not that idealistic, I know life's no fairytale. And even if 300's young for a spirit, I promise you, I'm no child. Though...I suppose you are right about one thing."

"And what would that be?" Cerelia asks dully.

I grin. "I'm one hell of a stubborn jackass." I sling my staff over my shoulder and give a smirk. "What can I say? I was human once, and let me tell you, those guys never back down for _anything_. Seriously, their willpower is fantastic."

"Ugh...Frost, that doesn't mean you'll-"

"Ah ah ah!" I hold up a hand to silence her. "Don't even say it. You're right, I obviously can't know for sure that the curse won't affect me. But...I'm gonna do everything in my power to not let that happen. This isn't just bluster, Cerelia. I can't let myself turn...and with the other Guardians by my side, I think I can accomplish that."

The spring spirit scowls, but even still, she seems to back off a bit. "...I still think you're a fool," she grumbles. "And if your foolishness endangers us...you know what we'll have to do."

I shrug. "Like I said, think what you will of me," I reply. "But I don't intend to prove you right. Anyway...I'll be leaving now. I've got snow to make, windows to ice, you get the gist...and eventually, I suppose I've got a reputation to restore, yeah? Au revoir."

With that, I turn around and begin to walk off to find a less tree-filled area so I can take to the sky without having to dodge a bunch of branches while ascending. To tell the truth, I'm...admittedly a lot more scared of this whole curse business than I let on. But I figure that's how it gets you...Cerelia did say that knowing about the curse made it progress faster, right? Maybe it's a question of fear and vulnerability. Falling victim to paranoia only darkens the heart that much quicker and allows the evil magic to easily take root. If I start to show signs of going bad, then I suppose I can worry about trying to break the curse or something like that...for now, I guess I'll just need to stay true to my Center.

'Cause hey...can't be afraid when you're having fun, right?

"Hey, Frost!" Cerelia suddenly calls out, shaking me from my thoughts. "Are you going to remove this ice or what!?"

...right, still frozen to a tree. Now, the mature thing to do would be to turn around and help her out...but…

I simply laugh and call back over my shoulder. "Ah, don't worry, you'll thaw out soon enough!" Then, I continue walking, allowing her angry spluttering to fade into the distance as I leave her there.

Was that kind of petty? Sure. I can admit that. But come on...I think I've earned the right to do that at this point, haven't I?

* * *

 **That's the end of this arc for now, but you can count on this subject returning in the future...;) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, and remember to leave a review and tell me what you think, 'cause it really does help. :) I'll see you guys next time!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


	39. Season of Giving

**Hey, guys! Welcome back to Becoming a Guardian! Sorry for being so late on the Christmas chapter (it's also like an hour into Thursday where I am but oh well, close enough to staying on schedule), I was super busy over the holidays! Visiting a lot of family and friends a lot of times, so it was fun, but left me barely any time to write, so I hope you'll forgive me on that front! Anyway, let's get to reviews!  
**

 **Thanks so much to Demi clayton, Guest (Thank you so much, that really does mean a lot :), and** **etarnax (That is still hilarious and I love it XD) for reviewing!**

 **With that, on with the belated Christmas chapter!**

* * *

 **~ Season of Giving ~**

As I've learned over time, Guardians apparently don't typically do gift exchanges, not even on Christmas (yeah, North gave me that personal Globe of Belief last Christmas, but that was kind of a special case). I mean, it makes sense; just think about how much stuff the average person accumulates over the course of their lifetime, and then multiply that by...I don't know, however many human lifetimes the others have lived. To be perfectly honest, I don't know any of their exact ages (pretty sure they've all stopped counting), but...you get my point. Regularly exchanging gifts would lead to a lot of clutter.

However, this Christmas...I'd like to give something to each of them anyway. It'll probably just end up being a one-time thing, but...they've given me so much since I became a Guardian. A home, a family...and of course, wonder, hope, memories, and dreams. I think it's about time I gave them something back.

Now, since I have no money and limited materials, I've decided to go with a common theme for each of their gifts: small ice sculptures. Last year, I managed to create an ice ornament for Jamie and Sophie that was magically reinforced so that it would never melt or shatter. It took a decent amount of magic to pull off, and doing it for six (I plan to make some for Jamie and Sophie as well...think I'm gonna go with a dragon for Jamie, since he loves all things mythology, and a bunny for Sophie, for...obvious reasons) separate sculptures might take a lot of energy out of me, but I figure it's worth it.

So right now, roughly a week before Christmas, I'm currently sitting in an icy cave in Antarctica, where I'm certain none of the other Guardians will look for me, wearing the Santa hat I got last year and surrounded by six blocks of blue-tinted ice, a roll of stolen-er...borrowed wrapping paper from North's workshop, six definitely-borrowed boxes and bows and a definitely-borrowed red sack, also from North's workshop, a pair of scissors, tape, and a few chisels I fashioned out of ice.

Here's the deal: being a winter spirit with an insane amount of control over ice, I can technically just wave my hand and shift it into whatever shape I please. In fact, I'm going to do that in order to make the rough outlines of what I want the sculptures to ultimately be. You know, just to save on time and all that. However, for the finer, more intricate details...much like Bunny and North, who, respectively, have automated processes to paint eggs and plenty of yetis to make toys, yet both personally contribute as much as they can...I'd like to carve those myself. It might take a while, sure, but over the years, I've gotten a lot of practice with carving ice just from...well, being bored and having that be the only material available to me. As such, I think I'll be able to get all this done in time, no problem.

First, I start with the shape that's going to be the most basic overall, which is Bunny's sculpture. With my magic, I form the ice block into a smooth egg-shape that's flawless on the outside, though I leave some stylistic imperfections on the inside so that it doesn't just end up looking like blue glass. For this particular piece, the overall shape doesn't matter as much as what's going to go on the surface of it. Remember how I helped out with Easter all that time ago, and painted a bunch of eggs with my signature frost designs? I'd like to do a callback to that, and carve similar designs into this ice egg, though mixed in with some more floral, spring-related images to better represent Easter. God, I hope he ends up liking it and doesn't, like...make fun of me for this or something.

Anyway, while I'm working on the designs on the outside of the egg, I might as well tell you all what I'm making for everyone else. As I've already mentioned, Jamie's getting a dragon, one modeled off of the classic European-fantasy design, with four legs ending in sharp claws, fangs in its mouth, a long tail, and huge wings; you know, the whole package. The details on that one are gonna be difficult...a lot of scales and spines to worry about, but hey, I'd say it's worth it.

As I've also said before, Sophie's getting a bunny for her sculpture. Hers should be relatively simple, as a regular rabbit isn't exactly a difficult shape to carve, but I do plan to add texture to it to make it look somewhat furry (even though it's...ice, so it won't feel furry, oh well), and I'm also gonna try my best to carve in replicas of Bunny's darker markings from memory, so she'll know who it's kind of meant to be. Heh...I think she'll appreciate that.

Sandy's is another relatively simple one, as I plan to create an ice dolphin for him. He knows that that's what a stream of dreamsand will turn into for me if I touch it, so I figure he'll appreciate a little "between us" kind of thing, not to mention that fact that he already quite likes sea creatures as it is. The dolphin itself won't be that complicated, considering I won't need to add any extra texture, but I do intend to add on a little representation of the ocean to show the dolphin leaping out of, structurally connected by what will look like an upward-splashing stream of water. That part might take a bit longer to perfect.

North, meanwhile, is going to get a reindeer sculpture, through which I hope to convey the sheer power and pride of the incredible team of reindeer he has pull his sleigh. I intend to add lots of details to this one, such as fur textures, elaborate antlers, and carved-on harnesses. If I had more time, I might attempt to do multiple reindeer, as well as the sleigh, but, uh...I'm on a tight schedule here.

Finally, there's Tooth, whose carving was honestly probably the easiest to decide on: I'm going to give her a little ice version of one of her mini fairies (perhaps specifically Baby Tooth?). Lots of little intricacies to focus on for that one...especially with all the feathers. The thin, gossamer wings might prove difficult as well, but hey, I'm the one that decided all of this, and I've gotta see it through. I owe all of them that much.

I spend roughly a week in that ice cave, carving day and night and only leaving to take care of my Spirit of Winter responsibilities and make sure the other Guardians know I'm not dead. In total, it takes about five days of nearly non-stop work to complete the statues, and then an extra day to rest after using a significant amount of magic to enchant all six of them so that they will be forever frozen and indestructible.

Seriously. That wiped me out pretty good.

As a result of this, I unfortunately end up sleeping through Christmas Eve, so I'm not able to accompany North on his route again, like I did last year. But either way...I'm hoping that all my effort will be worth it in the end.

Once I get the presents wrapped up and put into the sack I "borrowed" (not stole, I swear) from North, I immediately take to the air and begin to head to the workshop, where I know each of the other four Guardians will have been gathered for the Christmas party North always insists on for at least half an hour now. I'm running a bit late, but...oh well. I'm kinda notorious for that, admittedly.

Anyway, as I expected, I'm the last to arrive, though the others seem more inclined to greet me with happiness rather than anger this time. Ah, the magic of Christmas.

"Ah, Jack!" North exclaims with a grin when he sees me fly in through the window, the man somehow looking as boisterous as ever despite having literally stayed up to travel all around the world last night. "You have made it! Merry Christmas!"

"About time," Bunny snorts, though he seems less annoyed and more amused.

I chuckle slightly as I land on the floor near everyone else. "Merry Christmas, you guys," I reply. "Oh, and nice to see you too, Bunny."

Though Bunny's too busy rolling his eyes to notice the bag I set down next to me upon landing, Tooth, Sandy, and North, seem to zero in on it immediately.

"Oh, Jack, what's that?" Tooth asks me, blinking in curiosity, while Sandy forms a golden question mark above his head.

I smirk. "Well…" I say, loosening the string on the sack and pulling the top open to reveal the wrapped boxes inside. "...I believe for today, I'll be playing the role of 'knock-off Santa Claus,' if that's alright with you, North."

North raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Wait a moment...Jack, did you...get presents for us?"

I nod. "You bet I did."

"Aw, Jack, that's very sweet of you!" Tooth says with a smile. "Though, you didn't have to-"

I hold up a hand to stop her. "No, no, no, don't say that," I insist. "I know I didn't have to, but after all you've done for me...I wanted to do something for you in return. Now...here. I'm giving you your gifts and I'm not giving you a chance to say no."

I'm a man of my word, so I end up doing just that. I leave Jamie and Sophie's presents in the bag to take to them later, but I pass out the other four boxes to each of their respective recipients. "Now, go on!" I encourage them, not letting them getting a word of argument in edgewise. "Open them!"

"Alright, mate, alright! Yeesh...settle down, will ya?" Bunny scolds me, pretending to look annoyed, but I get the feeling that under that mask of irritability, he truly is grateful.

...or maybe he just really is annoyed. I can never really tell with him.

Either way, the Guardians all tear the wrapping paper off of the boxes, then open boxes themselves to reveal the ice sculptures I crafted for each of them. And thankfully, as far as I can tell...the results are pretty consistently positive.

First, Tooth gasps in surprise, pretty much immediately telling me how much she loves the carving, then Sandy forms an exclamation point over his head and smiles at me almost fondly, clearly recognizing the significance behind the dolphin. North and Bunny, meanwhile, both seem to be examining my craftsmanship quite thoroughly, and if the grins on their faces are any indication, they seem to like what they see.

I grin slightly, and though I can already guess what the answer will be, I decide to ask anyway, "So...what do you think?"

"Did ya make these all by yerself, Frostbite?" Bunny asks, an eyebrow raised. "'Cause if so...I gotta hand it ta ya, they're pretty amazin' works of art. Honestly...thank ya for this."

...I think that's literally the most genuine compliment Bunny has ever given me, like...ever. I'm...I'm blown away right now. This is a momentous occasion! A day that shall go down in history!

...okay I'll tone down the theatrics. For now, anyway.

Despite the somewhat sarcastic eloquency that's going on in my mind at the moment, my mouth only seems to be able to awkwardly stammer, "Y-You...y-you really think so!?"

"I agree!" North chimes in, a large grin on his face. "I have been making ice carvings myself for many years, and I promise you, these are especially good! Thank you very much, Jack!"

Sandy, meanwhile, nods cheerfully in his own silent way of expressing gratitude, while Tooth adds, "Oh, Jack, they really are beautiful statues! Thank you so much!"

Aaaaaand now I'm blushing. That's fun. But hey...I'm really glad they like their presents. Aside from the ornament I gave Jamie and Sophie last year, I've never really had the chance to give someone a gift like this...I'll admit, to see the smiles I was able to bring to their faces, it...it feels good. Better than receiving something, even.

Huh...I guess now I get why North does this every year. It really is something special, to be able to give someone you care about something that'll make them happy.

At this point, however, Tooth begins to frown. "Oh, but Jack, I feel bad…" she says softly. "You went through all the trouble to make us these, but we don't have anything to give you in return this year…"

To this, I merely laugh. "Are you kidding?" I ask with a grin. "The four of you have already gotten me everything I could ever ask for."

"What do you mean?" North asks curiously.

I smile and nod at him. "Wonder..." Then at Bunny. "...Hope..." Then at Tooth. "...Memories..." Then at Sandy. "...Dreams…" Then finally, I spread my arms slightly and gesture at all of them at once. "...and family."

About five seconds of silence passes, causing me to wonder if I've become too sappy for my own good, before suddenly, all four of them (I think Bunny was dragged into this against his will, but that's fine, ha) are suddenly surrounding me in a group hug that, while it certainly takes me by surprise...it strangely doesn't make me uncomfortable at all, like it would have in the past.

Because it's true. These people, these spirits, these _Guardians_...they're my family. I thought it would take much longer, but somehow, these familial roles fit us all like a glove. For some reason, as quirky and as wildly different from each other as we all are...everything has somehow just clicked into place without us even really realizing until now.

I lost my blood-related family long ago. My only actual relatives that I am able to interact with now are Jamie and Sophie. But you know what? Despite how much I still miss the family I once knew...I've now learned that you don't need to share blood to be family. You don't just have to stick with whatever was laid out for you from the moment of your birth.

Sometimes, you just...end up finding it on your own.

* * *

 **Heartwarming :) Hope you guys enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you think, because it really does help! A word of warning, I am going on vacation with my family in a few days, so I'm not _entirely_ sure if I'll be able to get a chapter up next Wednesday, but I'll certainly try my best! Either way, I'll see you guys next time!**

 **For now, Sapphire316, out.**


	40. Here Be Dragons

**Hey, guys! I know I usually update this on Wednesdays, not Thursdays, but I've been gone so long that I can't leave you guys waiting any longer! So sorry! I've been dealing with both anxiety and writer's block at the same time, which...is not fun, but here I am.**

 **Quick disclaimer for future updates...I'm going back to college in a few days (we get a really long winter break because there's a separate, optional winter session that I didn't take), hence...the anxiety, so I don't know how much I'll be able to adhere to my schedule from here on out. I don't want to put this story on official hiatus just yet, I want to see how things go first, but know that I will place more priority on RFL 2: Into the Dark than on Becoming a Guardian. Now, that being said, I love writing this story and I'm not about to give up on it anytime soon. Things just may continue to be a bit shaky for a while because I'm going back to school, and I would prefer focusing on Into the Dark for the time being. I will still update Becoming a Guardian whenever I can, but I will not promise weekly updates. Thank you for understanding! With that, onto the reviews!**

 **Thanks so much to Loftcat27 (I'm glad you thought so! :) and Demi clayton for reviewing!**

 **And with that done, onto today's extra long chapter!**

* * *

 _ **~ Here Be Dragons ~**_

You may remember me claiming that all sorts of magical creatures, both good and bad, are indeed real. We've got mermaids, we've got unicorns, fairies, kappas, kelpies, wendigos, vampires, werewolves...I believe that's all I brought up at the time, right? Well...there's one extremely popular type of creature that I honestly can't believe I haven't mentioned up until this point...that is completely, 100% real.

 _Dragons._

That's right, people, those badass fire-breathing beasts do indeed populate this world, and there's actually more of them around than you might think. I mean, there's really no dragon census, so...I don't know _exactly_ how many there are, but there's quite a lot of them hidden just out of sight of humanity.

And they're _awesome_.

Now, you might think, what with me being a winter spirit and all, that I wouldn't really get along with a creature known for spitting flames. But in reality? Dragons tend to like me quite a bit. Unlike typical reptiles, you see, they're actually quite hot-blooded (I mean...they've even got literal fire in their bellies, so it's to be expected), so rather than residing in hot places like volcanos or active lava fields, you're instead much more likely to find them living in ice caves where they can keep themselves cool.

As a result...they like cold spirits like me a lot. Which is also awesome, 'cause that means I'm able to hang out with dragons!

...sorry for fanboying a little, dragons are cool, okay?

Anyway, let me get to the actual reason I'm bringing this up. Remember how I said I made Jamie an ice sculpture of a dragon for Christmas? Well...this immediately got him asking me if dragons were real too, and...of course I'm not gonna lie to the kid, so I told him that they were. And then one thing led to another, and long story short, today, I'm taking Jamie to meet a dragon.

I'm definitely the cool uncle, guys.

So! What I do is get a potion from North's magic room that can temporarily allow a human to completely be able to withstand any level of coldness without being harmed, go to Jamie's house in the middle of the night, sprinkle a little dreamsand on Mrs. Bennett so that there's no chance she'll wake up randomly in the middle of the night and notice Jamie missing, go get Jamie and give him the potion, then take him through a snow globe portal to an ice cave where I know a friendly dragon will be waiting for us. (Don't worry, I know I'm leaving Sophie out for now, but...I'll take her when she's older!)

And thus...here we are, at the entrance to said ice cave, with Jamie practically bouncing all over the place in excitement while I look on, amused.

"This is...this is so awesome!" he exclaims, a wide grin on his face. "There's seriously a dragon in there!? Like...really!? What does it look like!? Is it more European-style or does it look like a Chinese dragon!? Is it a boy or a girl!? What's its name!? Does it have a name!? Is it all old and wise or does it act more like an animal!? Can it talk!? Can it really breathe fire!? And fly!? And-!?"

I laugh, finally bending down and putting a hand over Jamie's mouth to stop more words from cascading out. "Easy, kid, remember to breathe!" I tell him teasingly, with a wry smile. "To answer all of your questions...yes, there's seriously a dragon in there, yes, really, you're about to see what it looks like, this one in particular is more European-style, he's a boy, his name is Kalefahn, though I just call him Kalef, so yes, he has a name, he's not necessarily "old and wise," but he's more young and playful like a child than he is animalistic, he can't conventionally talk, but he can project thoughts into people's minds to communicate, yes he can breathe fire, and yes, he can fly. That about cover it all?"

Jamie starts to nod, then hesitates, thinking. After a moment, he grins sheepishly and, after pulling my hand away from his mouth, says, "Um...one more question. How do you like... _know_ a dragon!? Like...that's the coolest thing ever! How did you meet him!?"

"There's not really much of a story to that," I say with a light laugh. "I was exploring these ice caves one day about two centuries ago-oh and believe me, two centuries is still quite young for a dragon-and I just sort of...found him. I was afraid at first, but then he started speaking telepathically to me, and it turns out...all he wanted to do was play. And for a future Guardian of Fun, well...how could I say no?"

...I'm gonna be honest with you guys, that's...not the whole story. Not even remotely. I wasn't _exploring_ the caves so much as I was, well...hiding in them. I had been heavily wounded by a few lesser summer spirits (even spirits with not much power can still hurt me pretty badly if they wield flames...especially when I don't fight back), and I had been flying for my life for a while. I escaped into a cold area and found a network of ice caves where I figured I'd be safe from the summer spirits, which ended up being true, but not quite for the reason I thought.

I was indeed admittedly terrified at first upon encountering a dragon in the caves, as I had never met one myself up to that point. I had heard tons of differing stories about them, and I had no idea what to expect. All I knew is that I, lying on the ground, burnt and bleeding, was at the complete mercy of the fanged, clawed, fire-breathing creature that stood over me. For a few moments, I was certain I was going to die.

...thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised. Despite being very young, especially at the time, Kalef seemed to sense that, not only was I not there to hurt him, I also was gravely hurt myself, and in need of protection. Dragons are far from the demonic beasts some media portrays them as...they are incredibly smart, loyal, and even protective creatures. Due to the icy conditions quite literally being my element (as well as having minor healing properties for winter spirits like me), I was able to recover soon enough, but I don't think I would have gotten the chance to do so had it not been for Kalef.

The summer spirits, being incredibly cocky for how little actual magical power they possessed, had tried to follow me into the ice caves, and likely would have managed to finish me off had it not been for the dragon that curled himself around me and drove them off by showing his fangs and roaring. Such a simple yet intimidating display sent those summer spirits running, and they didn't bother coming after me again, at least not when I was with Kalef. With him, I was safe.

While I recovered, Kalef telepathically spoke to me, about...well, pretty much anything that was on his mind. It seemed that he too had gone without companionship for a long time; his mother and two siblings had passed twenty years prior due to some rare, notoriously fatal draconic illness. Kalef had also been infected, but had managed to survive long enough to get over the sickness, despite being severely weakened in the process. When I had found him, he was still in the midst of his own recovery period, though he had gained enough strength to run for short periods of time, allowing him to hunt game on the mountain, and thus continue to survive. Still, he had not yet regained enough energy to allow him to fly (he has since made a full recovery, though, and is currently perfectly capable of flight), so he was essentially stranded alone in those caves.

As you might be able to guess...I found myself relating to him. I too had lost my family (not that I had known at the time that I ever had one in the first place), and had been spending most of my time alone, frequently weakened by other spirits' attacks. Once I was away from the edge of death and could think clearly enough, I began speaking back to him. What I'm trying to say here, is...this is basically how I made my first friend other than the Wind.

...I'm really not good at making conventional friends, am I?

Well, either way, Kalef and I ended up getting along very well, not just due to our tragic, lonely backstories, but also because of our playful nature. I've rambled for long enough, so I won't go into too much detail, but...we've had fun together. I couldn't continue visiting him too much, as my job as Spirit of Winter often demanded that I be elsewhere, thus...unfortunately keeping my own isolation quite intact, but those times with Kalef, no matter how few and far between they had to be, were part of why I never fully snapped at any point during those long, long years. I...kept reminding myself that, no matter how lonely, or upset, or angry, or scared I was...there was still a friendly dragon out there that would always be willing to play with me whenever I could find the time. It's true that those years alone still messed me up _very_ badly...but I truly believe that having a companion for some of it saved me from breaking completely.

It was never easy...but at least there was some light in the darkness that was my life.

Anyway...I've been talking about this for far too long. Now that you know the true story (I don't want to tell Jamie yet...it would involve discussing how I am frequently attacked by the other spirits, and I...I'm not ready to have that conversation with the kid. It's best that he doesn't know for now…), let's resume the tale at hand, shall we?

"That...that's awesome!" Jamie exclaims in response to my fabricated explanation. "And I'm about to meet him too!? Like...right now!? Do you think he'll like me!?"

I laugh slightly. "Of course he will, kiddo, what's not to like? Come on...let's head inside. I've gotta have you back home by daylight, and I know you'll want to spend as much time with the dragon as possible."

"Well of course!" Jamie confirms with a grin. "It's a _dragon!_ "

"That it is, Jamie," I chuckle. "That it is."

With that, I lead my extremely excited nephew into the ice caves, where I know Kalefahn will be waiting (I did stop by ahead of time to tell him about our visit, don't worry). Sure enough, after heading through a short tunnel that opens out into a wider area, we see him.

Despite being a creature of fire, Kalef looks every bit like a being of ice, with his shimmering silver scales and sharp, crystal blue eyes. Dragons truly are beautiful creatures, and my friend here is no exception. His body is lithe yet powerful, capable of darting movements, graceful flight, and feats of physical strength. He's lying on the ground when we enter, but upon seeing us, he lifts his head and bares his teeth in what I recognize as his typical attempt at mimicking a human smile...still kind of needs work, given all the deadly-looking fangs in his mouth, but hey, he tries his best.

 _Jack? And friend? Come to play?_

I'm used to it by this point, but Jamie is clearly startled by the "sound" of the dragon speaking into his mind. To the kid's credit, though, he recovers quickly, and doesn't seem afraid.

"Wow…" Jamie breathes, staring at Kalefahn in wonder. "This...this is awesome…"

I shoot a smirk in his direction. "I think you're gonna have to come up with a new adjective at some point, Jamie," I tease.

"But it _is_ awesome! It's...I mean he's...he's a dragon!" Jamie insists, face practically glowing with excitement. "There's a dragon _right there!_ "

"I think we've established that by this point," I chuckle playfully, but honestly, I understand the kid's excitement. It's not every day you get to meet such a popular mythical creature, you know? Even for someone who frequently interacts with the other Guardians and I...a dragon's certainly something else.

Kalef, meanwhile, seems a bit more confused by Jamie's constant exclamations of "It's a dragon!" He tilts his head curiously and once again "speaks."

 _Yes, I am dragon. Why do you say again and again?_

"Heh...don't worry about that, Kalef," I say with a smile. I've always liked Kalef's somewhat-broken manner of speaking...he'll grow out of it soon enough once he grows older and eventually gets a better grasp on human languages, but I personally think it's endearing. "He's just excited...anyway, how about you introduce yourself?"

Kalef dips his head a bit in a nod as he turns to look in Jamie's direction.

 _Hello, Jack friend. My name Kalefahn, but Jack always say Kalef, so that name good also._

"H-Hi, Kalef!" Jamie blurts out, bouncing happily. "I-I'm Jamie! It's...it's really nice to meet you!"

This is wholesome. This is like...really wholesome. And I'm about to make it even more so.

"So, Kalef…" I begin, grinning. "You remember what we talked about earlier, right? Mind telling Jamie about it?"

Kalef nods again and steps forward a bit, looking at Jamie.

 _Jack say you would like ride. I will carry you through sky._

It takes Jamie a few seconds to process this new information, but once he does, I'm fairly certain his head is now moments away from just straight-up exploding from sheer excitement and happiness.

"I...I can _ride you!?_ " he practically squeals, voice going a few pitches higher than I figure he'd prefer it to be. "L-Like...on your back!? In the air!? _Flying!?_ "

Kalef blinks and looks back at me.

 _Jamie ask many question...many time._

"Like I said," I chuckle. "He's excited." I glance at Jamie with a grin. "What do you say, Jamie? Wanna ride a dragon?"

" _Heck_ yeah!"

 **()()()()**

" _THIS IS SO AWESOME!"_

Heh...there he goes with the "awesome" thing again. But hey, I can't fault him for it...riding a dragon _is_ awesome!

As you may have guessed, the two of us are currently seated on Kalef's back (and don't worry, I have Jamie sitting in front of me and properly restrained so he doesn't fall), racing through the night air above the mountain that houses the dragon's ice caves. And honestly, in terms of thrills, Kalef's spared no expense for us: for the past twenty minutes, we've been soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, through an endless diamond sky.

It's a whole new world, I tell you.

And of course, Jamie's been screaming things like "THIS IS SO AWESOME!" for the entirety of that time. Kid's gonna be real tired tomorrow...but I think he and I both know that it's been entirely worth it.

This is the kind of thing that really makes me feel like a Guardian...not necessarily with the "protecting kids" part...but with the part that the others haven't yet seemed to fully grasp, at least not on a personal, face-to-face level. That part...it's _connecting_ with children. Knowing what will make them happy and helping them experience it. Sure, Jamie's my nephew and my first believer, which of course makes him particularly special to me...but I think doing something like this with any child would make me just as happy, because it would make _them_ happy.

This is showing a kid a whole new way to enjoy themselves. This is Fun...this is what _I_ put into the world. This is my purpose.

My Center.

Every child has a different perception of fun, of course. Some are daring enough to want to ride dragons, others are more content with sitting quietly and drawing. Some like video games, others like books, others still like both. Certain children enjoy playing sports, while others love to sing. Some kids may even be jacks of all trades, enjoying every activity I just described, and then some.

It's my job to get to know a child, to learn their hobbies, their interests, their dreams, their hidden talents...and encourage them to go for it. "Fun" doesn't have to be written off as childish or unnecessary. It should be built upon, and nurtured, and maybe someday turned into something great. Fun is, without a doubt, an essential part of childhood, and, indeed, of life...all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, as the saying goes.

Thus...Fun is what I guard.

I can't help but smile silently to myself. I don't think I've ever been as certain of my purpose as a Guardian as I am in this moment.

Suddenly, since we're flying straight and smoothly now, Jamie has the opportunity to turn around and hug me tightly, taking me by surprise.

"J-Jamie?" I ask, somewhat bewildered by the abrupt action.

"Thank you so much, Jack!" he exclaims, voice slightly muffled since his face is buried in my shoulder. "You...you're the best uncle ever!"

...and there goes my heart. Melted to a puddle, once again, by the best nephew and first believer I could ever ask for.

A smile still ever-present on my face, I hug him back, just as tightly. "No problem, Jamie…" I tell him softly. "Anything for the best nephew ever."

Yeah...this is exactly why I do what I do. And I wouldn't trade this job for the world.

* * *

 **:) I hope you guys enjoyed, and don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think, because it really does help! Thanks so much for everyone who's stuck with me up to this point, and I'll see you in the next update, whenever I can put one out!**

 **'Til then, Sapphire316, out.**


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